


The Queen of Swords

by Applesaday



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Zorro AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:35:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 43,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26585992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Applesaday/pseuds/Applesaday
Summary: Regina Mills returns to her childhood home upon the news of her father’s death. There, she finds out that his death was not as natural as the authorities claim, but a murder. In order to avenge his death and get rid of the corrupt general that rules the town with an iron fist, she becomes a vigilante by the name of The Queen of Swords.During that time, she makes enemies and allies, including the new Doctor, Emma Swan.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 17
Kudos: 94
Collections: Swan Queen Supernova V: Forever Starstruck





	1. An Untimely Passing

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [[Art] The Queen of Swords](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26226316) by [KennedyMorgan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KennedyMorgan/pseuds/KennedyMorgan). 
  * Inspired by [Queen of Swords](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26228719) by [DamaLasi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DamaLasi/pseuds/DamaLasi). 



> What a trip this fic has been. From writing sprints to big blocks, all the way to a car accident, all I'm hoping for is that this fic is enjoyable and good.
> 
> This idea was born because at one very bored point of my life a few years ago, I found out about the very campy attempt at making a female Zorro in a short-lived show called the Queen of Swords. From there, I tried to mix in elements from that show with the Zorro mythos, and here we are.
> 
> First of all I want to thank the mods not only for organizing this, but for also being super duper understanding and giving me the extension they did.
> 
> To my cheerleader Michele, who helped me from the get go, with deciding the plot line all the way to also doing some beta-ing.
> 
> And last, but most certainly not least, to my two artists, KennedyMorgan and DamaLasi, thank you for your patience, and sorry that I didn't have the finished fic to show you.
> 
> Also, alas my numerous attempts at contacting betas didn't go anywhere, so this is all being beta-ed by me, which means that despite my best efforts, there might be a few mistakes lingering about.
> 
> To the story!

Regina kept her eyes trained on her teacher, ready to move her rapier and dagger to block his next move. Daniel, for his part, underestimated her - as he always did - and moved forward with his rapier to jab her, aiming for her chest, but she swerved backwards, using her dagger to lock his rapier in place, and pushed her own rapier to his throat. 

“Looks like I win yet again,” Regina said, all smiles. The midday sun was beating down both of their backs, the exertion making their chests heave to take in big gulps of air.

Daniel laughed, darting his eyes to look to the door at the newcomer. “Yes, and if my eyes don’t deceive me, it will be for the last time.”

Regina whipped around to look towards the entrance of the courtyard, where her handmaiden Marian stood, a letter in her hand. Regina’s smile grew wider and more vibrant if possible. Her father was at long last coming to bring her back to America, after she spent nearly a decade in Spain to get properly educated. Of course, fencing was definitely not part of the curriculum, but Regina thought herself a modern woman, and what her father didn’t know couldn’t hurt him.

As Regina made her way to the other woman, her smile began to fade. Marian, who had been as excited to return as she was, now held the solemn face of someone who had bad news. She glanced at the letter in Marian’s hand once again, and saw that it was open. If Regina had been a traditional aristocratic woman, she would have scorned her handmaiden for reading her letters without permission. But she would never do such a thing to someone she considered a friend, so as soon as she was close enough, she asked, worried, “Marian, what’s wrong?”

Marian began to open her mouth as if to explain, but then found that words failed her. She opted to just hand her lady the letter wordlessly. As Regina began to read, her heart sunk with each passing word.

Daniel, having noticed the mood change drastically in both his pupil and her handmaiden, approached the pair. “Everything alright?”

Regina turned to her teacher, tears in her eyes. “My father is dead.”

“What?” Daniel asked, shocked. “How?”

“He fell from his horse,” Regina said slowly, biting her lip to try to stop herself from crying. She could hardly believe what she was reading.

Marian looked at Regina with a pang of deep sorrow. For so many years, Marian cared for Regina as if she had been her own family. When she had left California with her charge, Don Henry Mills had made Marian promise to be there for his daughter, no matter what. And she had followed that promise to the letter, never letting a single worry or fear stop Regina from becoming a fiercely independent woman, who knew right from wrong, and was kind to everyone, no matter their station in life.

And now, to see Regina so broken up about this, it made Marian want to curse the world and the fates for robbing her charge of the chance to see her father again.

“What are you going to do?” Daniel asked.

Regina sighed, glancing at the letter again. “I don’t have much of an option. I need to go to California, and resolve my father’s estate. It says here my presence is requested for ‘delicate matters’. I wonder what that could be about?”

“Most likely to finalize everything, burial matters, and the like,” Daniel said, shrugging. “I would offer to go along, but I have matters to attend to here, nor would my family be very receptive to the idea.”

Regina nodded. “It’s not a problem, you’ve already done more than enough.”

Daniel nodded and led the pair out. “If there is anything else I can do, please write to me.”

Marian could tell that Regina wanted to say her final goodbyes privately, so she murmured a quick excuse and walked to the carriage, letting them speak, not that she was worried. Daniel had a handsome and boyish charm about him, and if Regina and Daniel’s romantic preferences lied elsewhere, they might have been attracted to one another. As it was, Daniel was very happily married to his husband, and both he and Regina were content to just be friends as teacher and pupil.

As she sat in the carriage, she grabbed a stack of tarot cards and shuffled them. As she saw Regina make her way to the carriage, she pulled out three cards. The first two cards were understandable, speaking of great change and sorrow. As Regina entered the carriage, Marian took a look at the third card - the Queen of Swords, and she frowned.

“Everything alright Marian?” Regina asked, looking at her friend.

“Yes, it’s nothing.” Marian quickly put the cards back in and put them away. She didn’t generally lie to Regina, and the latter could tell that Marian wasn’t being entirely truthful, but she was too tired to press, and for that Marian was thankful.

The Queen of Swords generally spoke of vengeance, and justice. But she couldn’t understand what this had to do with Regina. Don Henry had died of natural causes, as the letter stated, so what was the injustice? Could it be…?

No, there was no reason to think like that, Marian was sure that there was nothing more to the matter.

Nonetheless, there were far too many questions, and Regina didn’t need to be further worried. So Marian settled back in her seat and let the driver take them back to the house to grab their bags in preparation for their trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're off! Starting off by setting the setting for the story.


	2. A New Land

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're meeting more of the ensemble, but you'll have to wait for a bit to see Emma!

As their carriage approached the pueblo, Regina peered out the curtain. “I can’t believe it has been ten years...I wonder how much has changed.”

Marian hummed, wincing as their ride jostled due to the unevenness of the road; she had long given up trying to read her book. “I seem to recall the roads weren’t so bumpy.”

Regina chuckled. “Neither was the landscape so drab. But from what papá had said in his letters, the past few years had been rough for everyone here because of the weather.”

“Yes, I recall you mentioning it,” Marian nodded. “Nonetheless, I am anxious to see what has become of the villa’s grounds. I can’t imagine there has been a lot of upkeep since…”

Marian’s sentence died out as she seemingly realized what she was about to say, and she went to grab her book to busy herself.

“It’s alright, you can say it,” Regina said after a pause, her hands smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles on her burgundy dress’ skirt. “We will go into town and meet with the lawyer, finalize the will, and then we will get the key from him and see what state the villa is in.”

When the carriage arrived, two guards rushed to them, one to open the carriage, and another to offer his hand for Regina to take. She was almost about to turn down the offer, until there was a subtle clear of the throat that came from Marian, and Regina remembered. The people here were a lot more old-fashioned, and it wouldn’t do her any good to show up all modern-woman.

And so, Regina closed her mouth, smiled sweetly at the guard, and extended her hand into his roughened one, allowing him to help her down. She even added a small stumble at the end, to appear more defenseless. “Oh my, I guess these heels aren’t very practical here.”

She was sure Marian scoffed from behind her.

“Señorita Mills! So glad to have you join us.” Regina looked up to see an older man, long grey-ish hair gathered in a tail behind his head, wearing a crisp military uniform, walking up to her. Beside him, a younger man, dressed in a similar uniform - though with much shorter hair but a beard and moustache - was also approaching them.

Regina curtsied. “I am happy to be here, though I wish it were under better circumstances.”

She held out her right hand and both men in turn took her hand and kissed it.

“Of course, it’s a horrible thing to have happened, our condolences to you for your father’s death.” The older man straightened his posture and added, “My name is Colonel Ricardo Gold, I am in charge of this pueblo. Beside me is Captain Graham Humbert, he helps make sure this pueblo is kept in order from bandits and lawless criminals.”

Regina nodded. “It’s lovely to meet the both of you. But forgive me, why is a Colonel in charge of Storybrooke? Has something happened? Last I had heard, the Spanish courts never mentioned that any part of California, much less such a small pueblo, was being governed by the military.”

“Nothing to concern yourself with, señorita. Now, shall we go inside to my office? The lawyer is waiting for us.” Gold held his arm out for her to take, and she entwined her arm to his, after a pause. She got that same feeling of unease that she had when she saw the letter. There was something else going on here.

She spared a quick glance to see that Marian was trailing behind, though unfortunately the Captain was walking between them, and his smile made Regina whip her head back to the front. She did not like the look he gave her.

“I am curious,” Regina began as they ascended the stairs to Gold’s office. “I am sure you are a very busy man...why are you concerning yourself with my father’s estate?”

“You ask a lot of questions,” Humbert commented wryly.

Gold shot a look at the Captain, before saying “It’s quite alright, I admire a woman who is curious, and I have no problem entertaining you. You see, señorita, there are some issues we need to discuss regarding your father’s estate.”

He opened the door to his office and beckoned everyone in. He faltered when he saw Marian walking in, but wisely held his tongue. “Now, this is the executor of your father’s estate, señor David Nolan.”

“How do you do,” the man bowed, wearing a pinstriped suit looking like it had seen better days, but still held a genuine smile to Regina.

“I’ll feel better once I know what this is all about,” Regina said.

“Yes, come, come,” Gold said, leading Regina to his desk. He sat on his chair, while Regina and David sat on the other side, beside one another. Marian held back, mostly because she didn’t like the look the Captain was giving her. It was both predatory and with distaste, like he knew her station was below him, but he wouldn’t be above having his way with her. It made Marian sick to her stomach.

“Now,” Gold began, “before señor Nolan begins, I need to lay the facts out for you. He will corroborate that everything I tell you is true.”

Regina nodded slowly, shifting in her seat.

“As you might know, these past few years have been tough on our pueblo. There hasn’t been a lot of rain, and plenty of crops died out. Your father, and his vineyard, was no exception. As señor Nolan can attest, he had been making his tax payments, but generally not leaving enough money to live comfortably. Still, he managed to keep paying.”

Regina looked to David, and he nodded. “I tried to see if he would be interested in a loan or something, but he never accepted it. His bank account was pretty strapped near the end.”

“So what are you implying?” Regina asked, voice clipped. “That this is somehow some ruse by him to get out of paying? That my father would-”

“Oh no, señorita,” Gold interjected. “Not at all. The Captain’s medic was able to determine that Don Mills’ death was purely accidental. The problem is that your father didn’t leave enough money to pay his taxes, which are actually due in a few days actually.”

Regina did a double-take. “That’s preposterous. My father was a wealthy man, what about his bank account?”

David shook his head, handing Regina a piece of paper with the values. “I’m afraid that what he has there can only cover half of his taxes, and there’s nothing else left.”

“But the house-” Regina began, skimming the page.

“And that would bring us to the matter at hand, señorita,” Gold said, with the air of a man who was trying to get to this point all along. “I am prepared to offer a deal. As you are now the owner of your father’s estate, I am prepared to forgive any and all debts your father may have left in death, as long as you sign over the estate to me - well, the pueblo.”

“That is absurd!” Marian thundered from the back of the room. Everyone whipped around to look at her, and she faltered.

Gold cocked his head slightly. “I didn’t realize that Spain had loosened the tongues of our workers to opinionate on such matters?”

Regina cleared her throat and looked pointedly at Marian. “They didn’t, and I will deal with it later. Now, as to your offer, I will have to respectfully decline.”

“I beg your pardon?” Gold spluttered, bewildered. “I think you misunderstand the situation, and how much money is at stake.”

“No, Colonel, I understand perfectly, and I refuse to believe that my father, a man who kept careful count of his finances, would let things go this way,” Regina explained.

David interjected, “Actually, no amount of careful planning could have prepared anyone for the string of bad weather we had. While your father kept producing wine, it definitely wasn’t to par with what he used to make, and I kept careful track of everything.”

“Even so, that land is worth so much more than what he owes,” Regina said.

“Actually,” Humbert started. “Your father’s land has lost much of the value it once had. It has been abandoned, and looters seem to have been trying to break in. We try to catch them, but…”

Regina sighed, rubbing her temple. “I need to think this over. Can I at least go to the villa?”

“Well yes-” David began.

“Are you sure it’s safe?” Gold asked, sounding concerned. Though not genuinely so.

Regina shrugged. “I still want to go. May I have the keys?”

David handed over a set from his pocket. “There was also a small letter he drafted, to be read in case of his death.”

As he pulled out the letter from a folder he had, she saw something. “It’s not sealed?”

Gold cleared his throat. “I apologize for the intrusion, señorita, but we needed to know if your father had any money left aside - to pay his debts.”

“I see..” Regina said, eyeing the Colonel warily. “Anyway, what did the letter say?”

David cleared his throat and began to read, “ _‘My dearest angelita, if you are reading this, it means I am no longer with you, and for that I am sorry. But please do not cry for me, for you must know I would never leave if I didn’t have to. I wish we had more time, but know that I treasured all of our moments together. My final request to you, is to keep me in your memories. Grab a vintage from the cellar, and enjoy it for me. Te quiero.’_ ”

Regina tried to keep her tears to herself, but all three men saw, and were at once upon her with handkerchiefs. She took David’s with a small smile and nod of thanks, not trusting her voice.

Gold awkwardly put his handkerchief away. “As a gesture of good faith, I will give you the week, as much time as Don Henry would have been given to pay, to decide what you want to do.”

“Thank you, Colonel, that’s very kind of you.” Regina stood up, and bid everyone farewell, walking towards Marian and the door.

“One more thing, señorita,” Gold said. Once Regina was looking at him, he added, “A word of advice. As far as I am aware, your father’s horses are gone, stolen no doubt, and from what Graham has mentioned in the last visit he made, the old cart has been torn apart. Since I am assuming that the carriage you took to come here is on loan for this trip, I would urge you to purchase a cart before heading home.”

Regina nodded. “Duly noted, Colonel, thank you and have a good day.”

Once Regina and Marian were outside, the latter looked at her forlorn charge. “How about you head to the villa, while I go to the market to buy us some things for dinner, acquire a cart and some horses?”

“No, Marian, it’s quite alright, I’d rather you be there with me once we get home. I’ll accompany you.”

Marian knew it was futile to argue with Regina, so they headed to the stables, purchasing two fine horses, and a cart. The man had been skittish, not very talkative and instead solely focused on the sale. The market was much the same. What was once a social hub, full of laughter and conversation, now held a tense silence.

Without saying anything, Marian and Regina knew that some things were better discussed in private. And so, they made their way back to the carriage, hailed the driver, where he had been waiting in a nearby cantina, and with Regina in the carriage while Marian drove the cart, they made their way to the Mills villa.

Regina’s heart sunk as she saw the state of disarray that the house and grounds were in. The vineyard was all dried up, the once pristine white stucco walls were now dirty, and there were broken window panes and doors hanging crookedly from their hinges.

Marian let a hand rest on Regina’s shoulder. “We will fix this.”

“I hope so,” Regina said with a weary sigh.

They thanked their driver for his help in bringing their suitcases into the foyer of the villa, and once they were alone, Regina riposted, “So, quite a bold move to have that outburst in the middle of Gold’s office.”

Marian shrugged. “I wasn’t about to let him say all of that rubbish and get away with it. I know society tends to look down on women, giving their thoughts on such things, particularly a commoner such as myself, but his proposal was absurd.”

“I know that Marian, and if I could, I would’ve said the same. But as we agreed on the ride over, we can’t be making waves...every moment we’re here I keep getting the idea that there is something seriously wrong.”

“You are not the only one,” Marian murmured. “Now, let’s see the state of the house.”

To say it was in disarray would be a gross understatement. Cabinets were left open, drawers were tossed, furniture upended, and various decorations and knick-knacks were thrown all over the floor.

“Who would do such a thing?” Regina asked, tearfully, going to grab a pair of silver candelabras from the ground.

Marian tutted and shook her head, heading towards the kitchen, and let out a groan once she saw the state it was in. “Not that it’s much better here, the pots and pans are strewn all over...someone must’ve been desperate to see what valuables they could pawn off…”

When she didn’t hear Regina respond, Marian went back to the foyer. Regina was standing where she had last seen her, still clutching those candelabras. “What’s wrong?”

“They didn’t take this…” Regina murmured.

“A small victory,” Marian said, going to pick up a pillow.

“No, I mean, this is pure silver,” Regina began, “Why wouldn’t they take it? From what I can see, most of the house’s valuables are still here - if there had been thieves looking for things they could sell, why wouldn’t they take them?”

Marian shrugged. “Perhaps they’re not very bright? Or maybe the Colonel is watching for people who might try to sell such items, and don’t look like they should have such riches?”

“Could be, but I think there’s something deeper going on. But I am tired now Marian. Let’s fix ourselves a quick supper and go to sleep. We can clean things up in the morning.”

“Of course.”

They dined in silence, choosing to mull over the events of the day internally, but both women’s minds were racing. They couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something seriously wrong, and they were being kept in the dark.

* * *

“You know, I should be getting back home, it is kind of late.”

Graham sighed, “Oh come on Zelena, the man won’t miss you.”

Zelena scoffed, smacking him playfully in the arm. “Nonetheless, if I don’t show up, he’s likely to send a search party for me.”

The pair were in Graham’s bed in his modest Captain’s quarters, completely naked, save for the cover of the bed entwined with their bodies. “I’m sure another round won’t change much?”

The door slammed open, and Zelena gave a shrill yelp and rushed to cover the rest of her body with as much of the bedsheets as she could find. Graham was about to tear off the head of the impertinent guard that had interrupted, when he saw Colonel Gold standing there.

“Colonel,” Graham greeted, scrambling to stand at attention, gulping, not breaking eye contact with him and blindly trying to find his trousers.

“Señora Glass, I’m sure your husband must be worried as to where you might be at this time of the day,” Colonel Gold said, gesturing towards the door. “I need to speak to Captain Graham regarding some urgent matters, you understand.”

Zelena harrumphed, taking the entirety of the bedsheet with her as she bunched up her dress with her free hand and went over to the partition to put her dress on.

Graham, generally not one to be modest, rushed to slip his trousers on as he hissed, “Couldn’t this wait?”

“Careful Captain, or I will begin to think you don’t have this pueblo’s best interests at heart.”

“Not at all,” Graham was quick to clarify. “I was just saying-”

“I know what you were saying,” Gold responded, giving his underling a look to clearly mean that he saw through the posturing and the bullshit.

Zelena re-emerged from behind the partition. “I don’t suppose one of you gentlemen would be kind enough to do up my dress?”

Graham agreed to the task, trying to not let his fingers wander. He made quick work, and cleared his throat once he was done.

“Good night gentlemen,” Zelena said with a coy smile. “I’ll be seeing you around.”

Both men bowed slightly, and once she had left, Gold rounded back to Graham. “I hope you understand that that won’t be possible anymore.”

Graham frowned. “What won’t be?”

“You, seeing the lovely señora Glass.”

“Why the hell not? You said that you wouldn’t concern yourself with my extra activities as long as I did your dirty work for this town.”

Gold bristled. “And this would be one of those times. I need your services to charm the señorita Mills.”

“What? Why?”

“You were present earlier today. She didn’t accept the offer.”

Graham nodded. “Yes, how does that lead to me charming the lady?”

“Because it’s clear she doesn’t have a firm hand to guide her, a man to protect her home, you get the idea.”

“Do you want me to charm her or rob her? I get the feeling robbing her would be much more effective and expedited.” Graham asked, cracking a hungry grin.

Gold scoffed. “Charm her you idiot! She clearly has something up her sleeve, and I will be damned if I lose that land because of her stubbornness. Which is why tomorrow, at first light, you will ride out to the Mills villa, and get her to go with you for dinner.”

“First light?”

“Yes Captain, or do you have somewhere else you have to be?”

Graham stuttered and quickly shook his head.

“Good, so it is decided.”


	3. New Rules

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got to get that plot set up.

“Regina, wake up!”

Regina shot up at the voice, scrambling out from beneath the covers. Her voice rasped as she asked, “What happened?”

Marian looked at Regina. “Captain Humbert is here.”

“At the house?” Regina asked, utterly confused.

“That’s generally the idea when someone is here,” Marian riposted. “Are you going to see him?”

Regina groaned. “Fine, tell him I’ll be there in a bit.”

As Regina got ready, she wondered what the Captain was doing there, and so early in the morning. She put on a more casual dress, brushed her long hair, and made her way to the foyer. “Captain Humbert, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Señorita, I hope I haven’t disturbed you,” Humbert greeted with a slight bow, hands clasped behind his back. His uniform looked more pressed than usual, and Regina wondered what the occasion was.

“Not at all, won’t you come in?” Regina beckoned him further inside to the lounge, and they sat down on two sofas across from each other. It looked like Marian had cleaned a bit of the mess and moved it aside so the room was more presentable. “Is there something I can help you with? Is this about my father’s estate?”

Humbert flustered a bit. “Well, I have to admit, this is actually a bit more of a social call.”

“Oh?” Regina frowned. “What do you mean?”

Adjusting his collar a bit, Humbert said, “After you left yesterday, I found myself worried. You’re all alone over here, with thieves that have been trying to burgle your home since your father’s death, and I was wondering if perhaps you might like some company?”

Regina used all of her strength to not burst out laughing. “Oh Captain, that’s quite generous of you, but I have Marian to help, and as soon as I get to the bottom of my father’s estate and manage to pay off the Colonel’s taxes, I’ll rehire my staff to take care of the land, so you needn’t worry.”

“I see. How about dinner then?” The good Captain certainly was persistent, Regina had to hand it to him.

By way of answer, Regina stood up, getting Humbert to stand up as well. “While I appreciate the offer, I’m afraid I’m still very sore from the news of my father’s death, delicate sensibilities and all that, and I’m really not in the right mindset to consider a suitor.”

“Of course, señorita, my apologies. If you do change your mind, you know where to find me.”

Regina nodded, and they walked back to the door. Just as soon as she opened the door, they found themselves facing an older man, dishevelled and dressed simply, familiar to Regina somehow, though she couldn’t place from where she knew him. He looked surprised to see them, and bolted before either the Captain or Regina could say anything.

“Hey!” Humbert called out, rushing after the man into the courtyard. “Stop, thief!”

Regina watched as he whistled for his horse, who diligently rushed to his owner’s side just outside the gates, allowing him to pull out a rifle. As he aimed, Regina remembered where she knew the man from.

“Wait! Captain, he’s not a thief!” She ran as fast as she could, reaching Humbert just as he was firing his shot. She reached forward to angle the gun downwards, just as the bullet left the barrel.

There was a scream as the man fell to the dirt. Regina feared the worst, but she saw the man writhe and clutch his leg.

“Damn, I missed. Sorry to cut our meeting short señorita, but I must apprehend this criminal.” Without even sparing a glance at Regina or waiting for her to react, Humbert got on his horse and rode off to claim his prisoner.

Marian rushed out. “Did I hear a gunshot?!”

Regina nodded. “I tried to stop him, but he still made the shot. Thankfully, I managed to grab the barrel and divert the shot, but not enough. He was shot in the leg.” Regina paused for a second as her eyes widened. “But, if that’s the case, then I think the Captain was aiming for his head or chest.”

“What? Who was he?” Marian looked scandalized to say the least, grabbing the shawl she was wearing and draping it over Regina’s shoulder to ward off the morning chill.

“I think he was the old groundskeeper for the villa, Marco.”

Marian gasped. “And he was arrested?”

“Yes, though I think it’s a huge misunderstanding, he seems to believe Marco was here to steal. But I need to set the record straight,” Regina said, heading back into the house. “Get the cart ready Marian.”

“Wait, what exactly are you going to do?” Marian asked, rushing after her. “Don’t do anything rash.”

Regina scoffed, heading into her bedroom to look through her luggage. “Rash? No, I plan to use my feminine wiles to get Marco released.”

Marian spluttered. “And how do you plan on doing that?”

As Regina found the dress she was looking for, she pulled it out. It was a dark blue number that Marian knew well. It had turned plenty of heads the first time Regina wore it, primarily due to its very deep neckline, which was also why Marian had insisted it was the last time she would wear the dress. “With this.”

“Not that I don’t agree that Marco shouldn’t have been arrested, but is this the best idea? We don’t want to be making enemies within our first week here.”

“I’m not going to be making any enemies, Marian. I’m just going to make sure that I get what I want, and I have just the plan. Now, help me get this on.”

* * *

Half an hour later, Marian was driving their cart into town. Regina adjusted her mother’s shawl to drape over her shoulders and to cover her plunging neckline, at Marian’s insistence that the dress was much too open to be parading around town with. They were a few minutes away from entering Storybrooke, and suffice it to say that Marian was very worried.

“What if something goes wrong?” Marian was asking.

“Nothing will go wrong. I am merely a woman concerned for the unlawful imprisonment of Marco,” Regina responded swiftly. 

Marian stopped the cart and turned to Regina. ‘Regina, you know I consider you a friend-”

“And I you.”

“But are you sure that you don’t want me to accompany you?”

Regina shook her head. “This will work better if I am alone. Besides, you can use this time to buy some more supplies, and see if you can find out more about what’s really going on. People are more liable to speak with you if I’m not present.”

“Very well, but for the record, I do not like this plan at all.”

“Duly noted,” Regina said with a small laugh.

They headed to the Town Hall, and the two guards stationed outside came to help her. Regina and Marian shared one more look before Regina went inside.

As she made her way to the Colonel’s office, she adjusted her face to a practised passive face. Another secret she had kept from her father was the fact that while Daniel had taught her fencing, his husband had taught her how to play poker like the best of them. She knocked on the Colonel’s door, and after hearing the inviting “enter”, she pushed the door open.

“Ah! Señorita! I must admit, I wasn’t expecting to see you back so soon, though I am taking this to mean you have changed your mind?” Colonel Gold greeted her, standing up to go meet her by the door.

“Unfortunately, no, that is not why I am here, Colonel. You see, this morning, Captain Humbert came to visit me at my home.”

“Oh?” Gold responded, curious but not offering any indication of what he might know.

“Yes, and he apprehended a man that was standing by the door of my house,” Regina continued.

“Ah yes, I recall, the Captain arrested the bandit. It was a lucky thing he was there señorita, otherwise I’m not sure what might have happened,” Gold said. Then he added, sounding worried, “Were you present during the arrest?”

Regina nodded. “For part of it, when he shot the man.”

“I will have a talk with Captain Humbert about this, I’m sorry you had to witness it, señorita.”

“Actually, that’s not the reason I wanted to speak with you,” Regina was quick to add. “The man isn’t a thief, he was my father’s old groundskeeper, so he wasn’t actually stealing.”

“I see,” Gold said, adjusting the sleeves of his shirt. “The thing is, he has likely fallen on hard times, and figured the place was empty, so he could steal some knick-knacks that still remained.”

“No,” Regina shook her head. “You don’t understand, I invited him to the villa to talk to him about returning to work.”

Gold stiffened at that. “But señorita, what about the payment you owe?”

Regina waved him off. “I’m sure I’ll get that resolved, and the villa’s grounds are in a disastrous state. I actually sent Marian to see if she can find someone to fix the broken hinges and windows.”

“I see,” Gold said again, mouth set in a thin line. “Unfortunately señorita, there is nothing I can do for the groundskeeper. That falls under Captain Humbert’s purview. You’ll have to speak to him.”

“Thank you very much Colonel, I will go to speak with him.” After Regina left, Gold slammed his hands on the table. There was no way that he was going to let this woman get away with paying off what her father owed. He took a calming breath. There was no other money, he was sure of it, clearly the señorita was just deluded. And he knew Graham wouldn’t agree to let the groundskeeper go. If there was one thing that Gold could count on, was that his Captain relished getting to execute the lowlife peasants. So at least he could be satisfied that Regina Mills wouldn’t be getting her way with that.

Across the street, Regina made her way to the barracks. There she found a group of men stripped to their pantaloons gathered around Graham and another soldier, in a similar state of dress - or lack thereof - circling each other. She figured she would wait a moment before making her presence known, instead choosing to spectate.

After a few failed attempts to punch his commanding officer, the guard huffed and let his arms down for a second, which gave Graham just enough time to get a few punches in, first with an undercut, and then kicking him in the stomach, making the soldier fall back. “And that is how it is done! If any of you sorry lot want to get your asses handed to you, feel free to come forward.”

Regina decided now was a good time to clear her throat. The men dispersed immediately as though their pants were on fire, lowering their heads and keeping their eyes on the ground, murmuring greetings of “buenos dias, señorita” before busying themselves elsewhere.

Once she had a clear path to the Captain, Regina approached him, who had his back to her. “Captain, do you have a moment?”

“Certainly.” Graham grabbed a towel to dry himself of the sweat from his brawl, and slipped on a shirt, not bothering to close it. Regina had taken the opportunity to let her shawl fall from around her shoulders to rest in the crook of her elbows.

Once Graham turned back around to face her, he did a double take, predictably letting his eyes roam Regina’s chest. While Regina could have done without the hungry look, she was on a mission.

“What can I do for you?” Graham asked, licking his lips.

“The man you arrested this morning-” Regina began.

Graham smiled. “Ah, him. Don’t worry, he’s all locked up, and set to be executed tomorrow. No need to thank me, it’s what I do.”

“But that’s just the problem, Captain. He is innocent!”

“Innocent?” Graham let out a mirthless chuckle. “He was about to rob you blind. You’re lucky I was there.”

Regina shook her head. “No, you don’t understand. I had invited him to the house, to discuss a job. He was my father’s old groundskeeper.”

Graham sighed, crossing his arms. “I’m sorry señorita. If I let him go, who knows how many other miscreants will try to use the same excuse. I can’t let Juan go.”

“His name is Marco,” Regina corrected.

“Whatever,” Graham said dismissively.

Regina huffed. “How about a deal?”

That piqued Graham’s interest. “I’m listening.”

“You let Marco go, and I’ll agree to that social outing you were speaking of this morning.”

Graham was at an impasse. Normally he knew his orders. Lock up the peasants, and make everyone fear him and the Colonel. But considering that the Colonel wanted him to get closer to the señorita, this could be a prime opportunity. And besides, there were many others he could arrest. One man wouldn’t make a difference.

“Very well. I’ll release him,” he agreed. “Shall we say dinner tomorrow night?”

Regina smiled sweetly. “Certainly, I cannot wait.”

Until it was over, that was. But Regina held her tongue, curtsied, and then pulled her shawl back up, noticing the piercing glares on her. She made her way to the cantina where Marian was waiting. Without saying anything, they got on the cart and made their way back to the villa. 

“So?” Marian asked as soon as they were away from the town.

“A success, though at a cost,” Regina said, and proceeded to explain the deal she made with Graham.

“Tonta! Are you out of your mind?” Marian retorted, exasperated. “I cannot believe you would do that!”

“They wouldn’t have let Marco go otherwise! I could tell that those two relish being in power. They would murder Marco just because they apprehended him, even if it was for the wrong reason. I cannot let them do that.”

Marian sighed. “I’m not saying I don’t agree with you, but if what you’re saying is true, then these men are more dangerous than we could have imagined, and I witnessed as much.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know how you asked me to see if there were any news that the residents were too scared to share?” Marian asked. Once Regina nodded, Marian continued, “Can you believe that not one of them would talk to me? I would try, but they would cut the conversation short just after the pleasantries.”

“They’re beyond scared,” Regina concluded.

“Exactly, and my money is that it is all because of the Colonel and his Captain.”

Regina hummed and pondered. “We must find out what’s going on.”

“No, we first need to find that money. Otherwise we can’t do anything,” Marian countered.

“What if...maybe later today we can visit Marco and his family. Surely they would talk to us, they know us, and maybe they can tell us where my father would have taken the money.”

“That’s...actually not a bad idea,” Marian admitted.

Regina beamed.

They made their way back to the villa, where they spent the rest of the morning clearing up what they could. Regina tried to check every piece of furniture for any kind of hidden caches. But no luck. The pair were eating lunch in the kitchen before they were going to head to Marco’s place, and talking of possible hiding spots.

“What about your father’s desk? Wasn’t there a hidden compartment on the inner side?” Marian recalled that it was a well-known ‘secret’ and surely not the most secure place to stash money.

“Already checked - one of the first places really. It would have been too obvious, and as imagined, it was empty.” Regina sighed. “What if he truly didn’t leave anything? What if everyone is telling the truth?”

Marian thought about it for a bit. “The better question is, why are you so sure that he has something stashed away?”

Regina threw her hands up helplessly. “I don’t know, call it a gut feeling, but I’m so certain that my father would have noticed something was wrong and he was the kind of man that would plan ahead.”

“That’s true enough. I can’t think of anywhere else it could be. I’ve checked the service areas, the dining room, lounge, library, the bedrooms, even the cellar, and nothing.”

“Unless he buried it in the garden,” Regina murmured. “Then Marco would certainly know.”

Marian smiled softly. “Then let’s go see if he’s home.”

They rode out in relative silence, with Marian consulting her memory of where the man lived with his family. After taking a wrong turn, which delayed them a little while longer, they finally arrived, and Regina knocked.

It didn’t take long for a young girl to open the door.

“Buenas tardes, is Marco home?” Regina asked, giving the girl a reassuring smile.

The girl didn’t get a chance to answer before an older woman, probably the girl’s mother, appeared. She didn’t register Regina at first, but her eyes lit up at Marian’s face. “Marian! So good to see you!”

“Cecelia! Tanto tiempo,” Marian grinned and went to hug the other woman, clearly old friends. Regina patiently stood to the side, not wanting to interrupt the tender moment. The pair began to catch up, laughing heartily. The daughter had long ago retreated inside, bored with the adults no doubt.

“Entren, por favor,” Cecelia said, beckoning them in, smiling politely towards Regina, as if just realizing that she had a lady in her midst. “I’m sorry for the mess, I wasn’t expecting visitors.”

“It’s alright,” Marian responded. “Your house is just as lovely as I remember it.”

“Ah thank you. It’s not that enormous, but it’s home.” Cecelia then turned to Regina and said, “I also must thank you, señorita Mills, for rescuing my husband.”

“Is he alright?” Regina asked.

Cecelia nodded. “Apart from his leg, he is fine. Anyway, how can I help you?”

Regina took a deep breath before launching into the thick of it. “I need to ask your husband some questions about my father. The Colonel is convinced that my father barely had any money when he died, and I simply do not believe it. However, we cannot find it, and once I do manage to find it, I want to rehire everyone to come work for me at the villa once again.”

“I see,” Cecelia said after a beat, face not betraying anything. “I’ll go see if he’s awake.”

“Of course,” Regina said with a grateful nod.

Cecelia came back a minute or so later, with her husband in tow. He was leaning heavily against his wife, hopping on his good leg as he made his way towards their two guests.

“Marian!” The man lit up at seeing her, and the feeling was mutual.

“Marco, how is your leg?”

Marco shrugged. “Honestly, my leg is the least of my worries, I honestly thought I wasn’t going to get out of there. But thanks to señorita Mills, I am a free man once again.”

Regina nodded her head when Marco looked at her, eyes shining with gratitude. “I remembered you from when I lived here, you were always in the garden, and I couldn’t let the Captain lock you up.”

He laughed. “I was lucky I was merely locked up.”

When Regina and Marian frowned, he said, “Ah que cosa. Come, let us sit, we have much to discuss.”

They all sat around an old round table, and Cecelia instantly went into hostess mode. “Can I offer you anything, señorita?”

“No, it’s quite alright Cecelia, and please, you can both just call me Regina.”

The couple were a bit perplexed with the familiarity they were granted, but said nothing.

“Now, what exactly is going on?”

Marco sighed. “You two left what, over ten years ago?”

“About that much,” Marian responded.

“Some five years ago,” Marco began recounting, “We had a terrible drought. Worst year ever. Don Mills weathered it, but many Dons were not so lucky. I’m sure you noticed that the town has been overrun with gringos?”

Both Regina and Marian nodded. They had discussed as much, particularly with men such as Gold and Humbert, who boasted loud English accents.

“Well, after that first year, many of the old dons left for greener pastures if you will. Pueblos that afforded better weather and more profits. That left the town with a big gaping hole, and very few people to occupy it. For us commoners, there wasn’t much we could do. But it seems that the Spanish courts made some very enticing offers to the gringos, offers to purchase land at low prices, warm weather all year long, you know how it is.”

Once again, both women nodded, enraptured with what Marco was saying.

“Well, in come a bunch of people who knew very little Spanish, so what do the courts do, they sack Mayor Gonzalez, and instead bring in someone that could also speak English. We don’t know the details, but in comes Colonel Gold, and he lays down the law.”

“Except it’s less of a law, and more of a trap,” Cecelia added.

“What do you mean?” Regina asked.

Cecelia faltered for a bit, but Marian sought to reassure her. “It’s okay, you can trust us. Regina and I won’t tell anyone else.”

“The laws he passed are meant to exclusively favour the other Dons. Fair prices, services, justice, all of that was taken from us. We are heavily taxed, meant to keep us complacent. Anything we earned went into lining the coffers of the Dons. But your father...your father knew how to work the system. Sure, he would take the money offered to him by the Colonel, but then he would distribute it to us.”

Now Regina began seeing the bigger picture. “I see, so that way everyone would still be getting their share of savings.”

“Yes,” Cecelia said with a nod. “But we had to be careful, otherwise Gold would have suspected something, so we hid our savings in a safe place.”

Marco nodded. “We have to be _very_ careful. We are all well off, relatively speaking, but if we show too much opulence, we would have gotten your father into trouble. Which is why everyone is always so quiet while they’re out about town. We would take shifts working during several months, you see, and your father was almost single-handedly paying the entire pueblo behind the Colonel’s back.”

“Though, despite everyone’s best efforts, I think the Colonel found out,” Cecelia added. “It would explain everything…”

“What?” Regina’s brows furrowed. “What would it explain? What happened?”

“Forgive me for the impertinent question, señorita,” Marco began, “But, what do you know of your father’s last day?”

While Regina found the question odd, she still answered. “Not much, just that he fell off his horse while he was coming back from a visit into town.”

Cecelia and Marco looked at one another.

Marian broke the silence. “Is that not what happened?”

“You tell them,” Cecelia said. “I will go check on Jacinda.”

Marco sighed, looking at his wife as she left, before turning back to the pair of women in front of him. He hunched forward over the table, leading Marian and Regina to do the same, and he began speaking in a lowered voice. “That morning, your father had received a letter. He wasn’t too happy about its contents, because later that day, he rode off into town on his horse. We were worried as to the time he was gone, for a few hours had passed.

“Suddenly, we all heard it. A gunshot, clear as day, had rung out-”

“My father was _shot_?” Regina yelped, a bit louder than Marco would have preferred.

He made a shushing motion. “The walls have ears.”

Regina could barely breathe at this piece of news. Marian placed a comforting hand around her shoulders, trying to soothe her.

Marian decided to steer the conversation, as Regina was still struck, processing the information. “But then why was his death ruled an accident? Surely the Colonel would have seen the bullet wound.”

Marco shook his head. “Not even five minutes later, Captain Humbert shows up, telling us Don Henry Mills is dead, and that we should vacate the premises.”

There was a silence, as Marian thought that Marco would continue. But when he didn’t, she pressed, “And?”

“Don’t you see?” Marco said. “On average, how long would it take for someone, travelling on a horse, to get from Storybrooke to the villa?”

Marian shrugged. “At least twenty minutes.”

“Exactly!” Marco triumphantly added. “How did the Captain get to the villa so fast? Assuming that he travelled from the pueblo, inspected the body, and then came to inform us.”

Regina broke free from her stupor. “Are you saying that you think my father was murdered by none other than the Captain?”

“I don’t think, señorita, I know. And he did it on the Colonel’s orders. Not only that, but who do you think is responsible for the ransacking of your father’s house?”

“What do you mean?” Regina asked, lips pursed, eyes furious.

Marco shifted in his seat, the glare, although not aimed at him, made him fear Regina’s wrath. “Señorita, have you perhaps noticed that all of the valuables are still in your house?”

“Yes,” Marian answered. “We thought it was strange that thieves would leave such valuables, but we figured that perhaps there were sanctions to prevent the sale of stolen items that rendered them invaluable.”

“Not at all. I’ve been coming around to visit, and more than a few times, I found the Captain and his lackeys turning the villa inside out. Rumour has it, they were looking for your father’s money. Cecilia and I figure that he found out that your father was using the money to pay all of us, so he wanted it back. It’s what I was doing when I came by your house. I wasn’t aware you were back, and saw the Captain’s horse. I shouldn’t have approached the house, but I had to see what he was doing.”

Regina let out a shaky breath, leaning back on the chair. “This is unbelievable.”

“I would stake my reputation on this, señorita,” Marco said.

“Oh no, I don’t mean I don’t believe you Marco, I do, it’s just that, this is a lot to take in. This is a terrible crime that they are partaking in. They should be brought before the Spanish courts.”

Marian was equally shocked, but still held the voice of reason. “But is there any proof?”

Marco shook his head. “There never is. Don Mills took the letter with him, so we aren’t even sure what it was about. All we know that he spent most of the day locked up in the cellar after receiving the letter, and we’re certain that whatever was in the letter, which upset him so, is what got him in trouble, and the Colonel had his lapdog take care of it.”

Regina tilted her head. “You said he spent all day in the cellar? Doing what?”

“I don’t know, señorita. It wasn’t uncommon he would do so, we always just figured he was adding his personal touch by sealing the bottles up. You know he was very proud of his wine. He always said it was his second-most-proud achievement he had. The first being you, of course,” Marco explained, looking at Regina.

Regina smiled softly. “Thank you so much for all the information you provided. As soon as I am able to, I will be sending Marian to let everyone know that I am taking in workers, and of course, I’ll keep the same arrangement as my father.”

“Thank you, señorita, it means the world to all of us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens! And will only get more and more complex....


	4. The Queen of Swords

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So when I was writing this, I started writing the plot and thinking about how to set it up, and by the time I reached this chapter, I was like "damn, it's really taking me a while to get to the SQ stuff", but it is coming, I promise! Just...not in this chapter.

Once Regina and Marian had returned home, dusk had fallen, and the latter asked, “Now what?”

“The plan hasn’t changed. We need to find the money, and I have a good idea where it might be.”

Marian barely had any time to process before Regina was rushing off towards the cellar. Marian followed behind, grabbing a gas lamp as she went after her friend. “What sort of secrets could that room hold? It’s tiny!”

“Appearances can be deceiving,” Regina commented, pushing the door to the cellar open. Much like the rest of the house, it had been trashed. Naively, Regina had hoped that no one had bothered to check it, but it was upended, a fierce smell of stale wine permeated the room from the broken bottles. Regina gathered her skirt so it wouldn’t trail on the ground, and ventured further in, crunching the pieces of glass.

Marian followed, lighting the gas lamp and holding it high. The entryway was flanked by tall wooden racks that would have regularly held wine bottles ready to be sold. At the end, a more spacious room with some wine barrels to the left, and a small round desk with paper and lacquer to properly seal and label the bottles to the right. The entire room was made of rock, allowing for it to be cooler than the rest of the house, and keep the wines chilled.

“I never understood why your father set up his shop in this tiny room. Wines need room to breathe, there’s hardly any ventilation…” Marian commented.

Regina walked towards the barrels, running her hand through the wood. Then she paused, right in between a sizable gap between two barrels. “That’s weird…”

“What?” Marian asked, walking towards Regina, trying to see what she was looking at. “The gap? It has always been there from my seldom ventures here.”

“No,” Regina shook her head. “Can you feel it? There’s the slightest breeze.”

Marian brought herself as close as she could, and she gasped. “I feel it too. But where is it coming from?”

Regina walked in between the barrels and started to touch the rock wall there. Nothing budged. “I think there might be a room back here. Help me find a switch.”

Marian moved her lamp as far as the eye could see, but nothing stuck out as a hidden lever or mechanism to reveal a hidden door. “Generally hidden rooms are behind libraries, I’ve never seen one in a cellar.”

“Considering the library was ransacked, it’s good that he didn’t do the usual,” Regina said.

Not finding anything at first, Marian decided to hang the lamp up on a hook on the rack shelves closest to the part they were looking at.

They had been looking for close to an hour with no success.

“Nothing. We’ve searched every inch of this place,” Marian said with a deep sigh. “What if we can’t find it?”

“No, there has to be something we’re missing,” Regina said, standing back and surveying the room.

Marian knew that Regina wouldn’t stop until she found what was behind the wall. “Okay, let’s think about this. Don Mills would have kept this room an utmost secret. Not even you knew about this.”

Regina agreed. “Right, and with the amount of people that come in here, to grab wines, deposit the barrels, it would have to be something easily missed, something that someone couldn’t accidentally stumble upon.”

“Yes. But what? I already checked the table, which is the only area that he would have been in charge of.”

“You also have to consider, my father likely knew that if the house were ever to be robbed, like this, the room couldn’t give it away.”

Marian hummed. “So probably hidden in the walls.”

They scoured every hidden inch they could find, as high as the ceiling, and they were once again unsuccessful. If Marian hadn’t felt the breeze herself, she would have chalked this up to Regina’s wishful thinking.

And then, Regina suddenly dropped down on the ground, brushing pieces of glass away, startling Marian. “Regina! Are you okay?”

“Yep. I just realized...we’ve been looking up, not down. My father always had his walking stick with him, what if that’s how he could assure that no one would find it?”

“Brilliant. I think there was an old walking stick by the foyer, I’ll go pick it up,” Marian said.

Once Marian came back, Regina stood back up and went to take the offered stick. Standing by the doorway, Regina thought for a second. “Okay, I’m my father, I walk in, using the cane with my left hand.”

As she walked, Marian wondered out loud, “What if there’s a certain groove you need to hit the stick with?”

Brushing the glass aside with the tip of the cane, Regina tried to see if there were any gaps wide enough to accommodate it. Nothing.

"He mentioned vintages in his letter," Regina murmured, almost absentmindedly, making her way towards that section. At the end of the aisles, Regina looked to the sides. Between the last rack shelf and the first barrel, she noticed some scuff marks, made easier by the lamp light right above her. She extended the cane towards the wall, and began to poke around. After a few moments, she felt the stick press further in, and something shifted, holding the stick in place diagonally. Suddenly, there was a rumble as the wall began to move.

Both Marian and Regina gasped as a narrow entryway revealed itself. The section of wall between the two barrels had swung open to reveal a larger room, and both women quickly scurried inside, Marian bringing along the lamp. It was a wooden panelled room, walls bare of decoration, though chock-full of items. They found various old treasures and knicknacks scattered around, such as an old portrait of Regina’s mother, who had passed away many years prior, early in Regina's childhood. There were some newer boxes and crates that drew their attention immediately. Regina saw a crowbar near them and used it to prop a crate open.

“We found it!” Regina gasped gleefully. Inside, there were plenty of gold coins, more than enough to pay Gold off, and to rehire the old workers.

Marian was in awe. “How did no one know about this room?”

Regina hummed. “Clearly he was cautious to make sure no one could stumble in here.”

They continued to peruse the room, and a deeper search showed them that there was more than met the eye. At the other end of the room, a set of double doors opened to a long and narrow rocky staircase heading down.

Sharing a quick look, Regina grabbed the lamp from Marian and led the way forward.

At the base of the stairs, they found themselves facing a long corridor. They pushed forward, through another door, coming out to a clearing of what looked like a cave. Marian made a noise of surprise from behind her, and Regina kept walking. 

“Where are we?” Regina murmured. The high walls made her question echo slightly, startling both women.

“I think we’re close to the ocean,” Marian said. 

Regina hummed. To her left were a few empty horse stalls, to the right, there was a ramp connecting to a path which seemed to lead outside. Beyond that, there was an opening through a waterfall. They approached the entrance, noting that some of the water spilled inside, filling the ground beneath their feet with puddles of water.

“Ah-ha! What did I tell you?” Marian gleefully pointed out, “There’s the ocean.”

Looking towards the other woman, Marian noted that Regina looked pensive. She was looking back towards the clearing, frown deepening. “I don’t understand, what is this doing under the house?”

Marian was at a loss for words. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Regina walked back to the clearing. Making her way up the ramp, she stood in the middle, looking towards the stalls, shining her lamp. She noticed the walls were draped with a dark fabric. It looked like black silk, an expensive fabric by the looks of it. A glint caught her eye, and she turned to the only part of the cave she hadn’t examined, a darker corner.

“What is it?” Marian asked.

Saying nothing, Regina reached forward and grabbed at an item peeking out behind a black silk curtain.

There was a metallic scrape as Regina stepped back with a rapier in hand, eyes wide.

“Marian, what is going on?” Regina asked, turning the sword over in her hand. It was intricately built, and looked like someone took lots of care with it.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Marian said, just as puzzled as her friend. She grabbed the black silk curtain that hid the blade and pulled it back. “Oh my-”

It was a mannequin, with black clothes, and a very distinctive hat.

“Is that-” Regina murmured, grabbing the hat. A paper fell out from inside, as did some black fabric. Regina managed to catch the fabric, and Marian leant down to grab the paper.

Putting the hat back on the mannequin, Regina unfurled the fabric and held it. “This is a mask! Was this- is this Zorro’s hideout?”

Zorro was a well-known legend for the people of California. Having battled corrupt governments and ensured that the people had rights, many thought he was a myth. No one was ever really able to find out whether he was real, as no one had ever captured him, he had disappeared many decades ago, so many figured he had only been a story.

“I think so,” Marian said, looking at the piece of paper she unfurled. “The paper is mostly empty, except at the top it says ‘To keep you warm’.”

Regina huddled close to Marian to try and see the letter, shining the lamp on it. With the heat of the light, letters were revealed, showing a much longer letter.

Marian began to read silently, but then held the letter out, and merely said, “We’ll switch.”

Puzzled, Regina handed the lamp off and grabbed the paper.

_My dearest Regina,_

_I apologize for the theatrics and secrecy, but I couldn’t risk anyone coming across this by accident. If you are reading this, it means I failed._

_As I write this, I have been summoned to speak with Colonel Gold. I’m sure you have met the man, and you can imagine my distaste. Things have been in the works, and I am afraid that I won’t be making it back home alive._

_I’m sure you’re confused, so allow me to explain._

_Many years ago, when I was a young man, I became Zorro. Yes,_ **_the_ ** _Zorro. I did as the legends say, fought villains and ensured the people had rights. After I met your mother, we agreed that Zorro had to retire. There was no more corruption in California, and we could be at peace. However, when Colonel Gold came to power after the first drought, he brought corruption to Storybrooke._

_I was no longer the fighter I had been in my youth, so I had to find other methods to fight. I collected the benefits I received as a Don, and distributed it to the people. From the letter I received this morning, I think the Colonel has caught wind of my scheme._

_The Colonel and I have not seen eye-to-eye since he came in, and I’m afraid this is exactly what he has been hoping to happen. He has long suspected me to be guilty of something, and it's not a very well-kept secret that any of the Colonel's detractors always mysteriously disappear._

_Be sure, my dear daughter. I have likely been murdered. I do not believe the Colonel would get his hands dirty with such an ordeal, so keep an eye on Captain Humbert. I have witnessed his brand of keeping the peace._

_Please know, I am not asking you to fight, nor to take up the Zorro mantle. In fact, I would beg you against it, if I could. However, I am wiser than you might think - I know about your lessons with Señor Daniel, and I know how good you are. I also know you are my and your mother’s daughter. Neither of us were ever good at following orders._

_So, if you must fight, please take care. Confide in Marian, for I know how lonely this crusade can be._

_Te quiero, mi cariño, siempre_

Regina crumbled to the ground in tears. She felt Marian set the lamp down before enveloping her in a hug, and she clutched her friend tightly. “He knew what was going to happen, and he still went.”

Marian said nothing at first. Then she said, “Everyone I had ever spoken to always spoke very highly of your father. Don Mills was a rare breed of man - kind, humble, brave, and would never take anything for granted.”

They stayed like that for a bit longer, allowing Regina to truly take the letter and its truth in, and process it.

Once Regina moved, letting go of Marian’s sleeves, they broke apart and stood up. “So, what are you going to do?”

Regina looked towards the mannequin. “I am going to do exactly what my father thinks I’ll do. I’ll become Zorro.”

Marian solemnly nodded. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I need to get justice for my father, and I need to drive Colonel Gold and his rabid dogs away, especially the murderous Captain.” Regina grabbed the clothes from the mannequin, as well as the hat and mask, and started to make her way back to the doorway towards the house. Marian followed behind with the rapier and the lamp.

They noted that the door to the cave was like the cellar door, once closed it would blend in with the rock wall around it. Opening the door also pushed back a silk curtain, so it had the added measure of security as it was also hidden behind the black fabric when closed.

Making sure all the doors were locked behind them, Regina and Marian made their way back up to the house. Once the cellar door was closed, they each let a heavy breath fall out.

Looking at one another, they let the air hang for a moment.

“Regina, please, just listen to me-” Marian began.

“No, I know what you’re going to say,” Regina said, steeling herself with the clothes and making her way to her bedroom. “That it’s too dangerous and one wrong move could have disastrous consequences.”

“Well yes, but-”

“What do you want me to do Marian? If I don’t do anything, I’ll let Gold and Humbert get away with my father’s murder! And I can't let that happen.”

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t!” Marian exclaimed before she could be interrupted again. 

Regina stopped, right in the doorway of her room, and turned back around to face the other woman. “You don’t?”

Marian shook her head. “Of course not. But you have to be smart about this. You can’t just launch yourself tonight. You need a plan.”

“Like what?” Regina asked, curious.

“First of all, what is the end goal here? Do you want to kill them, or to get justice for your father?”

Regina thought for a moment. “Can’t I have both?”

“No. If you kill them, you become a murderer, and that’s not something that just stops. It takes and takes, and takes, until you are but a shadow of your former self.”

With a weary sigh, Regina rolled her eyes and entered her room, heading behind the partition to go change.

“I mean it, Regina. I have seen what this does to men who become bloodthirsty after such an ordeal. They are never the same.” Marian went over to sit on the edge of the bed, resting the sword on the bed beside her.

“What would you have me do then?” Regina asked, accusingly.

Marian didn’t answer at first. “Perhaps, you should aim to take their power - embarrass them. Make them the mockery of the entire pueblo, eventually, of all California. The Spanish courts won’t be able to ignore it. And then, when they come to investigate, you will have simultaneously gathered enough evidence to prove that they are thieves and murderers.”

“That’s actually not a bad idea,” Regina acquiesced. She then walked out from behind the partition, wearing her father’s old costume. The clothes didn’t really fit her all that well, the trousers and shirt were much too baggy to be in any way practical, especially not for fighting. She tutted. “This won’t really work.”

Marian saw as Regina went to her dresser to take out some clothes. It was a set of her clothes she often used for her sparring sessions with Daniel. Black riding trousers, and a black tunic. 

She quickly changed from one set to the other, emerging once again, looking much better than before. Although this tunic was also loose-fitting, it fit her frame better. She grabbed the black fabric mask and adorned it on her face, followed by the leather gloves she also used to train with, slipping them on with ease. Lastly she put the hat on, completing the look.

“Lose the hat,” Marian immediately said, not even letting the hat settle on Regina’s head properly. She stood up and adjusted Regina’s mask so it would go under her hair, allowing Regina’s long dark hair to flow freely. “Now, it’s missing something... apart from the boots, unless you plan on being Storybrooke’s first bare-footed vigilante?”

Regina smiled. “No, I can use my riding boots. What else is it missing?”

Marian hummed, appraising the outfit. “Ah, I know. A splash of colour, and I know just the thing. Wait here.”

Before Regina could say anything, Marian had scurried out of the room, allowing Regina to grab the sword pensively. It seemed bizarre to her that she was Zorro’s daughter, and even crazier was the fact that her father had never said a word about it to her. She sighed. Maybe it was for the best, he had no way of knowing how she’d take the information.

“You know,” Marian was saying as she walked back into the room, carrying a blood red sash. “I don’t think you should use the name Zorro.”

“And why not?” Regina asked, raising her arms when Marian gestured for her to do so.

As Marian wrapped the sash around Regina’s waist, she said, “Because we don’t know who else could know. If one of Zorro’s old enemies connects the dots, they could figure out your identity before you even have a chance of meeting the Colonel. I’m thinking you need your own moniker, just as you are not using your father’s old clothes.”

Regina looked down at herself. Seeing the red sash, she had to hand it to Marian, she knew how to build an outfit. “Okay, so what do you suggest?”

Marian thought for a second, and she instead said, “Before I get into that, I also don’t think you should go out tonight.”

“Really?” Regina was exasperated, throwing her hands up. “What’s your reason for that then?”

“Because, as much as we’d like to think so, I’m sure the Colonel and the Captain are not stupid, and it won’t take them long to figure out that just when you arrived, this new vigilante also arrived. Lucky for you, tomorrow a new caravan of workers will be arriving to help out with the harvesting, so you can blend in.”

Regina frowned. “I hadn’t thought about that.”

“Which is why I’m here, to stop you from making careless mistakes or acting out stupid ideas,” Marian pointed out, beaming knowingly.

“Which is to say you don’t think me gallivanting around as a masked vigilante is a careless or stupid idea?” Regina readily riposted.

“I know you better than that. I know no matter what I say, you will do as you wish. I might as well lend some help, so I will go along with this.”

Regina walked up to Marian and hugged her tightly. “Thank you.”

Marian hugged her back. “I’m your friend, Regina. I know that what happened is unjust. Now, let’s eat dinner.”

While Regina changed out of her costume, Marian got a start on dinner. While she waited for the food to finish cooking, Marian sat by the kitchen counter and shuffled her tarot cards.

The first two cards were as expected, speaking of great changes and new opportunities, but just as Regina walked back in, Marian pulled out the third card - the Queen of Swords.

“Huh,” Marian breathed.

“I think I’ve figured out the perfect plan,” Regina said, sitting down across from her friend. Then she noticed the cards and Marian’s pensive face, and said, “You keep looking at your cards funny. And don’t think I haven’t noticed. What do they keep saying?”

Marian wordlessly held out the card for Regina to take. She studied the design. “Isn’t this card on something about justice?”

“You were paying attention? I’m surprised,” Marian joked.

Regina levelled the other woman with a glare. “Yes, I sometimes pay attention. Now, what’s so weird about it? We’re going to be getting justice for my father, doesn’t seem that weird.”

Marian sighed. “It keeps on coming up when I draw your cards.”

“You know, it’s actually not a bad moniker,” Regina mused, turning the card in her hand. “The Queen of Swords, seeker of justice in Storybrooke.”

“I would stick to sword-fighting, not poetry,” Marian said with a slight cringe, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Regina rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

“Now, what’s this plan you have?”

“Well,” Regina leaned forward, and began to share her plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise Emma shows up next chapter!


	5. The Doctor Is In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A longer chapter, but Emma will be finally making her debut!

“Señorita, this is the third time in as many days that I am graced with your presence, I must say I am honoured,” Gold greeted, standing up from his desk with a practised smile and walking towards his guest as the door opened.

Regina smiled in a similar fashion, walking into the room with the composure of an extremely confident woman. “Well, I hope it won’t become a common occurrence. I just wanted to come by and drop off the money that you’re owed on my father’s taxes and estate.”

Gold stumbled, quickly catching himself before clearing his throat. “I’m sorry, I must have misunderstood you. Money? From where?”

“As I told you, I knew my father had money stored away,” Regina responded, analyzing every miniscule reaction that Gold had. She knew she had the upper hand, and she had no doubt that Gold was on a slippery slope of confusion.

“But- the house was, that is to say.” Gold rolled his shoulders and composed himself in an attempt to regain a sense of calm - keyword: attempted. “I would have thought that the thieves that had been ransacking the villa would have divested your house of any money or riches that remained.”

Regina just upped the falseness of her smile as she said, “Surprisingly enough, they left most of our silverware untouched, and my father’s secret stash was intact.”

Gold nodded curtly. “I see, and where was this stash hidden? Out of curiosity of course.”

“Of course,” Regina echoed. She knew what Gold was doing - mining for information because he had probably asked Humbert to ransack the house, and to hear that he had missed a crucial spot would drive them both insane. She had been well-prepared, even practising with Marian yesterday, and so she didn’t miss a beat as she said, “It was in my father’s study, there was a hidden compartment in the desk. I’m actually surprised no one found it, it was quite well-known.”

Regina absolutely relished as Gold gave a pained smile at that. “A genius stroke of luck then. Well, I’m very happy to have this matter resolved, señorita. I was also thinking, to commemorate your return home, I might host a party sometime soon, so you can reconnect with the pueblo. I’m sure you’ve noticed the changes around town?”

“Oh certainly. It’s a lot different than I remember,” Regina cordially responded, clasping her hands in front of her in an attempt to keep herself from fidgeting. She did not want to be there longer than she had to.

“A good different, I hope,” Gold added with a crooked smile.

Regina chuckled humorlessly. “Certainly. Speaking of different, I must be going, I have an outing planned with the Captain, and I want to know where we will be meeting. But thank you for meeting with me, Colonel, It was good that we were able to resolve this.”

Gold nodded. “Of course, señorita, I will inform you of the party once I have more details. Before I forget, we will also be getting some new workers later today, should I send some of them to you?”

“It’s quite alright Colonel, I’ve sent Marian to get the old workers that are still here, and if I need someone else, I’ll find a way to contract someone,” Regina said, turning around to leave.

“Just a moment, señorita,” Gold added, rushing to stand between Regina and the door. “I would just like to caution you, from the time of your father’s untimely passing, many of your father’s workers were found to be doing criminal activities, and were properly…” he paused, searching for the word, “dealt with. I’m sure you understand what I’m saying?”

Regina feigned confusion. “I’m sorry Colonel, I have no idea what you’re implying.”

Gold sighed. “I mean that some of the people that were under your father’s employ are criminals now, and wouldn’t think twice about robbing you blind, or taking advantage of you.”

Letting out a dramatic gasp - perhaps a tad too dramatic - Regina brought a hand to her chest in shock. “Colonel, surely you can’t be implying that the workers my father trusted to run the villa would resort to such detestable activities??”

“Unfortunately, señorita, I do,” Gold said with a nod. “I know it’s a frightening concept, but you might want to consider getting some...traditional help.”

Regina looked puzzled and didn’t say anything, merely crooking her head slightly.

“Perhaps a man to help take care of things? Such as Captain Humbert?” he offered.

“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly impose on the Captain,” Regina was quick to counter, keeping up the song and dance Gold had decided to play with her.

Gold waved his hand dismissively. “Nonsense. In fact, I hear he’s quite struck with you. He was positively ecstatic you gave him a chance.”

“He told you about our outing?” Regina asked, relishing quietly as Gold bristled again.

“Well, in passing, merely because he wanted the night off,” Gold wound up saying. “Nonetheless, I would consider that before you decide to hire more workers.”

“Oh my, I will have a talk with Marian, thank you Colonel.” With that, Regina left, internally rolling her eyes. His intentions were clear as day. It’s a good thing that he thought Regina was so susceptible and malleable. It was easier to build her persona around him.

* * *

Regina found the Captain by the Town’s Square, sitting on an old cart, watching the people. Well, he was ogling a particular redheaded señora quite intently.

“I trust we’re still on for tonight?” Regina asked by way of greeting, getting Graham to jump, and jam his foot painfully against the front of the cart.

“Sh- Señorita! You surprised me!” Graham greeted with a pained smile, clutching his boot.

“I’m so sorry Captain!” Regina dramatically gasped, jumping up to sit beside him on the cart, acting as if she was trying to get a glimpse of the foot through the boot. “Did I hurt you?”

Graham grit his teeth as he said, “No, nothing that some ice won’t heal.”

Regina cringed. “I’m so sorry. Perhaps a hammer might help?”

“A- a what?” Graham spluttered, looking at Regina as if she was crazy.

“A hammer. I heard from a friend of a friend at a party while I was in Spain, that she stubbed her toe, and then her maid grabbed a hammer, hitting that area. The combined force numbed the pain! She swore by it, but then again, I’m not an expert.”

Graham looked positively horrified, which worked just fine for Regina.

“Nonetheless, were you wanting to speak to...señora Glass was it?” Regina asked, turning to look back to the square as if she was searching for the other woman.

“No, I was just looking around,” Graham said, clearing his throat, gingerly putting his foot down.

“Really? Seemed to me you were just looking at her. Though I must say, Captain, it doesn’t give me much confidence to know that you are looking at other women while you supposedly want to court me…”

Graham sat up straighter, and rushed to say, “Not at all! I mean, there’s nothing going on between me and the señora, truly. I only have eyes for you, señorita.”

Regina let him think that worked, and they finalized their plans. He would pick her up from the estate, and take them down a romantic carriage ride, before heading to dinner at the town’s only restaurant.

“That sounds lovely,” Regina said with a dreamy sigh that she hoped sounded genuine, even if that was the last thing she felt. She then spotted Marian and gave her a wave. “There’s Marian, I must get going.”

“Oh!” Graham said, standing up as she did. “It was lovely to speak with you, señorita, truly.”

“Likewise, Captain I just- ah!”

Just as Marian was approaching, Regina missed a step and fell down face first on the ground, getting the people around them to yell with concern and tried to approach the fallen woman.

“Señorita, are you alright?” Marian asked, having rushed to help Regina. As they were in public, she had to remember to use Regina’s title, or fear being seen as overly familiar.

Regina groaned dramatically. “I feel faint.”

Graham had jumped down and between him and Marian, they carried Regina towards her carriage.

Once Regina was safely lying down in the back of the cart, Marian turned to Graham. “Thank you Captain. Could you please send for the town’s doctor?”

“Well...actually,” Graham paused as he fumbled with words to properly explain. “We don’t have one. Old one left. I do have a medic?”

Marian scrunched her nose, but acquiesced. While they waited, she gave Regina some water to drink slowly.

The medic came running, an old man named Smee, and he hopped in the back of the cart, tending to Regina while Marian rode the cart back to the villa. Graham followed after on horse, also begrudgingly leading the medic’s horse for when he was finished with his consulting.

Truth be told, Regina and Marian were faking the entire thing. Regina had long ago perfected the art of fainting, and she was finally using her skills for good, rather than to get out of class. Regina had zero interest in spending the night with her father’s murderer, she’d rather get her plan going as the Queen, but for that, she needed an alibi. 

While they had been waiting for the medic, Marian had fed her some concoction that was traditionally used to help get rid of colds by causing the drinker to sweat profusely, but in this case, it was just to convince the medic that Regina was under the weather, and therefore barely incapable of going on an outing, or being a masked vigilante. It also helped that Regina was actively trying to act dumber, in order to appear vain and shallow, clearly not vigilante material.

“Is it serious?” Graham asked as soon as the cart stopped in front of the Mills’ villa.

Smee sighed. “No, but it looks to me like the señorita has been feeling the effects of the California heat. She’s burning up, and sweating like a dog. I recommend bed rest for the next couple of days, and I’ll try to follow up when I can.”

Graham undoubtedly noticed that this meant there’d be no dinner outing that night, and he sighed. As he helped Marian to get Regina out of the cart, he commented, “Well, another night, señorita.”

Regina smiled weakly and groaned. “Not my finest moment, I’ll admit, but I’ll be fine.”

Once Regina was comfortably in her quarters, Graham awkwardly had to take his leave. It wasn’t long after he left his horse in the stable that he was summoned to Gold’s office.

He groaned, wondering what his boss could possibly want. He didn’t do much to mask his disdain for the Colonel, but he considered himself smart - he knew that the Colonel was older, and that meant that when he eventually left his post, Graham could take over. It just irked him to be at his beck and call until that moment came.

“You called for me?” Graham said, entering the office.

Gold visibly cringed. “Do you not know how to knock?”

Graham went to stand in front of Gold’s desk, his stance confident as he bit back, “Doesn’t stop you from barging in on me.”

At that, Gold shot up from his chair and splayed his hands on his desk, glaring holes into Graham’s head. “Don’t test my patience Captain. I promoted you to your current rank, and I can just as easily demote you - I’m sure you wouldn’t like it if your soldiers all of a sudden had the power to extract revenge on the way you treated them for the past few years, would you?”

“N-no, sir.” Graham visibly paled, and he shrunk the slightest bit, shoulders slumping, his chest no longer puffed out.

“I know of your ambitions Captain, and I commend you for them. It’s why I chose you to be Captain, unlike that fool Rogers. Now, tell me, you searched the Mills’ villa, correct?”

Graham frowned at the question. “Yes? You were well aware of my reports as I turned that house upside-down for that blasted money, which I’m still convinced never existed.”

Gold didn’t react at first, and sucked air through his teeth. “I see. You personally searched every inch?”

“Yes…every last inch, nook and cranny.”

“Including his office?”

“Yes, even his office! What are you bloody trying to get at?” Graham was slowly losing his patience.

Rather than answer verbally, Gold opened a drawer in his desk and took out a plump bag filled with coins. “This is what I’m ‘bloody’ trying to get at, Captain.”

Graham approached the desk and grabbed the bag, turning it over in his hands. “I don’t get it.”

“Of course you don’t. Because for all of your ambition, you lack brains, Captain. This money was just given to me by the señorita earlier today. She says she got it from her father’s desk in his study - which is apparently a well-known hiding place!”

“Oh come on, how is that my fault?” Graham responded, huffing. “So the old man had a few final tricks up his sleeve.”

Gold thundered, “Because that money is mine! And I wanted it all back, and the villa along with it!”

Graham sighed, determined not to let Gold’s outburst get to him. “Isn’t that the whole point for me to be wooing the señorita?”

“Yes, but this was the more expedited method. There is gold in those mines, and the Courts refuse to give me more money. The money that Don Mills had taken from me would have served my purpose well. But no matter, all is not lost, on your outing tonight, try to get as much detail as you can, and then -”

“Slight problem with that,” Graham interjected. When Gold fixed another powerful glare at him, Graham rushed to add, “....sir. The thing is, the señorita fainted earlier today - Smee said it was the heat that got to her. She’ll be out for a few days.”

“Carajo!” Gold thundered. “Why is nothing going right?”

Graham floundered, unsure of what to say.

“Listen to me, you imbecile. This is what you will do. Tomorrow, you will go and speak with the señorita, get her to go out with you, no matter what. While you are out, you get some of those cretins of yours to rob the place. Get them to find the rest of the money hidden in that damn desk, I don’t care if they have to pulverize it. Attack that pertinent maid of hers and anyone else that is there while they’re at it. Once you two come back, play the sympathy card, and get her to take you more seriously. Remember, it’s your job on the line, so make sure it’s done, and properly.”

“Of course, sir,” Graham said, bowing. He knew he was being dismissed from the Colonel’s office, and he wasted no time getting a group of soldiers ready.

* * *

The sun was setting, and Regina was waiting by the carriage for Marian, having finished suiting up. The latter walked out, briefly taken by surprise at seeing Regina fully decked out. She hid very well in the shadows, save for the red sash, and the glint of her father's rapier.

“You’re sure about this?” Marian asked for what was probably the billionth time. She was terribly worried for her charge. She had been entrusted to take care of Regina, not to let her go out into the world to play vigilante and get herself killed. Though, she should have known, it’d be impossible to stop the younger woman from enacting her vengeance.

“Of course, now come on.” Regina climbed on board the cart, and threw the tarp over herself. It was generally used to cover the owner’s purchases so that they wouldn’t fly away or potentially tempt looters, but now they were going to use it to sneak Regina into town.

One of the first problems they encountered was the lack of transportation for Regina. She couldn’t walk from the villa to Storybrooke, not if she wanted a chance to survive. And using one of the horses they had just bought would undoubtedly point the finger right at Regina.

No, they would acquire a horse in a way that would hurt Gold the most. He had apparently started training thoroughbreds a couple of weeks prior, and just like Zorro had had Tornado, Regina was hoping to snag a trusted steed.

But first, she had to get into town. With Marian using the excuse of Regina’s dizzy spell having interrupted her shopping earlier as an excuse if anyone asked, it would allow Regina to sneak in and steal the horse.

For now, Marian merely adjusted a few boxes that would better hide Regina’s form. “Okay, now try to stay still.”

Regina did as asked, mentally preparing herself for what she was about to start.

Try as she might, she could never imagine the course of events that she was about to start, and how it would change her life.

* * *

Marian drove the cart towards the stables, hoping to be able to stop near a secluded area. Thankfully, the town was mostly empty at dusk, mostly everyone had retired for the day.

But Regina’s night was only beginning. 

As Marian got down from the cart, she grabbed a basket that she had purposely left away from the bundle that was Regina, and subtly knocked on the cart. They would be as careful as they could.

Regina waited for a few beats before she got out of the cart, checking all around that her surroundings were clear. Using her skills with fencing footwork, she kept her steps light and fast, tracking the shadows to hide her from view as she crossed the blocks until she got to the Town Hall. There, she looked for some way to climb to the top. 

The front of the building had two guards stationed, so she made her way to the right side of the building, which was much more secluded. She found a trellis with some sturdy branches entwined, and made her way to the top. There, she surveyed her trajectory to her goal.

The place wasn’t too heavily armed, merely a handful of guards, walking around aimlessly, and the path to the Colonel’s private stables were clear.

She skillfully made her way back down through the other side, closer to the stables, and she spotted four more guards that were just talking amongst themselves.

Bypassing them, she headed into the stables. Much to her luck - or the Colonel’s stupidity - the barn door was unlocked, and she was easily able to sneak in. There, she saw a couple of horses, one light beige, and another dark brown almost black. Regina grinned, she knew which one she was going to get. She silently prepped the horse, adding a saddle, and a harness, everything so that she could make her getaway. But not yet.

See, there had also been an optional objective to this mission. Regina and Marian had been talking, and finding out that the town didn’t have a doctor upset them both. The medic clearly was only there for the important people who got hurt. If Cecelia and Marco got hurt, or their child, they were sure that neither of them would be taken care of, certainly not like Regina was tended to, and not expertly either.

So, if she had to humiliate some guards and spill blood, Regina had no qualms.

Leaving the barn with the door partially open, she approached the four men and unsheathed her sword, while saying, “You should take better care of your surroundings, señores.”

“What the-” one guard said, jumping back and fumbling to unsheathe his own sword.

He was closest to Regina, so she wasted no time in using her rapier to swat that guard’s sword away before he could get into position, and it fell into the underbrush nearby. “Terrible sword handling, did any of you get any training?”

While that guard rushed off and tried to vainly recover his sword, a second guard let out a guttural yell and charged at Regina. She expertly pivoted with her left foot, and used her right leg to kick the man, making him stumble and fall.

The two remaining guards looked at one another for a moment, as if deciding what to do.

“I’d just cut my losses and run,” Regina offered with a smirk.

They looked back at her and decided to rush her together. She dodged and parried every swing they sent her way, their moves were very basic, she could have defeated them in her sleep.

Still, she wasn’t fighting at full strength. One of the first things she was taught was to never give her opponent a good indicator of how good she could be. It’d allow for sloppy mistakes from her enemies, and eventually, she could disarm them.

It didn’t take long for Regina to wind up with one on either side of her. Predictably, they went for a jab at the same time, and she rolled out of the way, leading both guards to stab the other. They yelled and fell back in pain, clutching their stomachs, and Regina surveyed her handiwork. The first guard was still frantically trying to find his sword, while also keeping an eye on Regina, and the second guard was slowly picking himself back up. But Regina was quicker, stamping her foot on his back, getting him to plant once again on the ground with an “oof”.

In the distance, an alarm bell rang, and Regina knew that was her cue. As she saw more guards approaching, she ran back to the stable, and headed for her new horse. Regina climbed onto the horse and spurred him on to leave the barn.

The horse responded to her commands excellently, rushing out as if the barn was on fire. Ahead of her, she saw the Captain had arrived, and he formed a line of some dozen guards, their weapons aimed.

“Steady!” he commanded, his sword raised high in the air.

Regina quickly changed course to go right, heading towards the town hall building.

“Fire!” he yelled, but it was pointless, as Regina was not in the line of fire. Still, it worked just well for her, because as they were re-loading their weapons, it allowed Regina to get further away.

She heard the dozen guards scramble to run after her, but her new horse was making wide strides towards the exit. However, her path was suddenly blocked by three guards on horseback.

They charged towards her, one guard at either side, and another one coming to meet her head-on, but Regina had her sword ready. She leant to the right, avoiding the guard on her left, and cutting the strap on the right guard’s saddle. That guard toppled over easily enough, falling with a yelp.

She righted herself, and urged her horse to go faster towards the final guard. He was at least smart enough to dodge at the last possible moment, but not fast enough to not have Regina hit him over the head with the hilt of her sword, getting the man to grunt and fall over.

She headed out of the Town Hall’s grounds, and towards the Square. There weren’t that many people milling about, but those that were there - Marian included - were watching her. She heard the yells of the Captain’s men as well as some horse hooves, and just dropped a playing card near a stall with a wide-eyed fruit vendor, before heading once again around town.

Moving between rows of houses and alleyways, she used her fast-thinking to lose her pursuers, whether by flipping back hanging signs so they would smack a guard behind her once they came back down, or by kicking them back when they tried to rush her.

Soon enough, there were more guards on the ground than running after her. 

Except for the Captain. When she made her way back to the Town Square, Regina saw him standing there, sword out, blocking her way out of town.

“I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure to meet, señorita,” he called out, stepping forward.

Regina scoffed. “And I was so hoping to keep it that way.”

“Oh come now, you have evaded capture for all of an hour, while beating my men and leaving them lying all over town, you don’t think I’d want to get to know you?”

“Pass,” Regina said with a scoff, spurring her horse to go full speed ahead - straight towards the Captain.

While he also tried to hold his ground, the looming horse coming straight towards him did the trick, and he dived out of the way, his sense of self-preservation taking over.

Regina stopped the horse right by Graham’s feet, and pointed her rapier down to tap his chest. “Do yourself a favour, Captain. Surrender, and tell your coward of a colonel to do the same, otherwise I will have no choice but to get the Spanish courts after you.”

To punctuate her point, she made a slash across his shirt and belt, ruining his uniform. Graham could barely manage a gulp before the woman in black took off into the night.

Colonel Gold was going to have his head.

* * *

“Oh no, Captain, I won’t just have your head. Much worse,” Colonel Gold was saying after Graham had finished the painful retelling of what exactly had happened that seemed to land half of his men in the infirmary, why he was having to hold his uniform together with his hands, and how one of the Colonel’s horses to went missing. “Now, since when do we have a vigilante, much less a woman?”

Graham was at a loss. “I don’t know, sir. It’s the first I hear of it. Some of the locals are calling her ‘The Queen of Swords’.”

Gold frowned. “That’s a peculiar moniker…what drove them to call her that?”

Using the hand that had been holding his shirt together, Graham fished his pocket for a playing card. “She left this with a fruit vendor.”

Gold took the card. It was a tarot card, with the words ‘Queen of Swords’ on it, the image of a woman sitting on a throne, wearing a crown and holding a large sword. “Is this a joke?”

Graham was trying to close his shirt once again using one hand, as he said, “If it is, it’s one crazy talented joke.”

“It doesn’t strike me as a joke, Captain. In fact, I’d be more ready to wager that you are somehow involved.”

Spluttering, Graham rushed to ask, “What? Are you mad? Why on earth would I associate myself with her?!”

Gold scoffed. “As I said yesterday, I’m no stranger to your ambitions, and telling me that a woman managed to best most of your men, but also gave a cryptic warning about reporting me to the Spanish courts? It’s the most ridiculous plot I’ve ever seen!”

“But it’s what happened!” Graham countered angrily.

“Excuse me.” It was Smee, fidgeting with his hands, standing in the doorway. With all the fury that had been directed at Graham since he walked in, Graham had forgotten to close the door behind him.

Gold sighed and sat back down on his chair. “Yes Smee, what is it?”

Smee stepped forward, and cleared his throat once he was standing in front of the Colonel’s desk. “We have a problem.”

“Oh?” Gold asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“That vigilante injured a good amount of your guards, I’m afraid I’ll need help to deal with this, in case this crazed madwoman strikes again.”

Both men were sure they saw Gold’s left eye twitch. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard that right - are you trying to tell me that you can’t handle this? That you are incapable of this job?”

Smee balked a bit at that. “N-no! I’m just saying that I have over a dozen men currently sporting some injury, and I can’t be asked to reasonably take care of all of them.”

That was apparently the wrong thing to say, because Gold stood back up, walked over to stand in front of Smee, and calmly uttered, “I’m afraid we don’t require your services anymore. You have until tomorrow to leave this pueblo before we ah...make you, if I’m being clear enough?”

“I-yes Colonel,” Smee was thankfully smart enough to bow out gracefully, rather than try to argue, paying respects to Graham as well before leaving, making sure to close the door behind him.

Once the door closed, Gold once more rounded to Graham. “So you see, Captain, I make good on my word. You cross me, and I will send you packing.”

Graham nodded slowly. “I can see that, but what are we going to do now that we don’t have any medic or doctor for that matter?”

Gold sighed. “Yes, I suppose I should send a courier to fetch someone. Now, why don’t you do your job Captain, and catch this pretender!”

* * *

Nearly a month later, and that order proved to be near impossible. No matter what Graham tried, the Queen always eluded him. She had bested his most capable men, those that remained anyway, as the others were deserting and running away. 

Graham’s courting attempts were put on pause, much to Regina’s relief. Even the supposed party that the Colonel was going to throw for her was shelved. It allowed her to focus on vigilantism. While she could just work on her mission to find proof of her father’s murder, she knew that she had to do more, fight for the people that Gold was terrorizing.

Which was why Regina was currently working on a way to rob the town’s bank - Gold had taken the pueblo’s money with his ridiculous taxing, and she was planning on giving it back to them. She had been planning this for over a week, which had led Gold into a false sense of security, thinking he had somehow scared this vigilante off as she hadn't been seen in all that time.

But Regina still had other duties, and that included going into the pueblo's market with her handmaiden.

“You really think this….vigilante, is real?” Regina heard one woman ask a vendor. She was perusing the stalls while she waited for Marian to finish buying ingredients and supplies for their food, and she took this opportunity to eavesdrop as she inspected some shawls.

“Of course, saw her with my own two eyes, she’s the one who gave me the card with her name.”

A scoff. “Sounds like a gimmick to me. You’re telling me that after so many years, we now finally have a vigilante who wants to save us? Where was she when this man was taking power?”

The vendor shushed the woman. “Cállate! Do you want someone to hear?”

Regina left, hoping that soon enough, the people would soon enough trust her. She sought out Marian, and saw that she was in deep conversation with an apothecarist. The town’s new doctor still hadn’t arrived, and the town was getting restless, worried as to what would happen if anyone got injured. No one understood why the medic had quit so suddenly like that.

Feeling peckish, Regina approached the fruit vendor, and saw that there was exactly one more apple left. 

She went to grab her purse in order to pay for the apple, but just as soon as she looked back up and went to walk to the vendor, she saw a woman swoop in, grab the apple, and take a hearty bite as she paid the merchant, also grabbing a banana while she waited for the change.

“Excuse me, I was going to get that apple,” Regina stated as soon as the woman finished paying for her fruits.

The woman turned around, and Regina found herself on the verge of gaping. She was looking at a beautiful woman, perhaps a few years older than Regina was, with long blonde hair, wearing black pants, and a simple white cotton tunic with the sleeves rolled up. While that would normally be nothing remarkable - some working women had adopted more traditionally masculine clothing - what got her immediate attention was the very red vest she wore, one that accentuated her form very nicely, something that a regular tunic by itself would never show off. And while Regina never found herself the type to ogle, the combination of the vest with the tunic’s sleeves rolled up showing off strong arms had Regina’s regularly controlled facade wavering.

“Didn’t realize you owned the apple before paying for it,” the woman countered, frowning.

Regina spluttered, holding up her coin purse. “No, but I was going to pay for it before you swooped in and grabbed it!”

The blonde looked at Regina strangely. “Look, ma’am-”

“Señorita,” Regina interjected.

“Whatever,” the woman continued. “The point is, if you wanted the apple so badly, I would have grabbed it before grabbing the coins.”

“Has anyone told you that you’re very rude?” Regina pointedly asked.

The woman scoffed. “Has anyone told you, lady, that you are a right piece of work?”

Regina gasped. “How dare you?”

“How dare I?” the woman said, incredulous. “I’m not the one being accused of stealing an apple that I hadn’t even paid for yet.”

“At least I have manners, unlike you,” Regina countered.

“Whoa! Señorita! Doctor, please!” The Colonel had arrived, as the two women had clearly attracted a crowd.

Regina did a double take at the words. “You’re the new town doctor?”

The Doctor looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “What, you’ve never seen a female doctor before?”

Before Regina could try to formulate an answer that didn’t make her out to be an idiot, the Colonel stepped in.

“Please, there’s no need to fight. Now, Doctor Swan, you’re just the person I wanted to see, please, come with me.” He began to lead her out, placing an uncomfortable, and entirely unnecessary hand in the small of the Doctor’s back.

“Well, actually-” she tried to excuse herself, to no avail.

“Please, it will only take a minute.”

And so, the new Doctor let herself be led away, taking a few quick steps forward and to the side so that the Colonel was no longer touching her.

After walking for a bit in silence, the Colonel said, “Forgive me for stepping in, but señorita Mills was the daughter of a powerful Don. He just passed away, and she is still in grief.”

“More than grief, she sounds entitled,” Emma retorted. She had had her fair experiences with mistreatment by those who were better off than her, and she had no time to deal with their particularities.

Gold hummed noncommittally. “That aside, I must admit, I was surprised when I heard that you were a woman.”

“Is that a problem?”

“Oh no, not at all!” Gold was quick to rectify, catching the faint hostile tone of the question. “But forgive me, I didn’t catch your whole name?”

“Emma Swan,” she replied. “Now, what did you want to talk to me about?”

Gold was leading her into his office. He waved for her to enter in front of him, and closed the door behind him, inviting her to sit in one of the chairs across from his desk, while he continued to pace by the window behind his usual chair. “I hope you don’t mind the secrecy, but as I’m sure you’ve heard, we have a vigilante problem.”

Emma nodded slowly. “Right, the Queen of Spades right?”

“Swords. Queen of Swords. And she’s been a right thorn in my side. She has incapacitated some of my best men, and caused some of them to desert their stations. It’s a disaster.”

“Okay, but apart from tending to your wounded, how does that involve me?” Emma asked, confused.

Gold looked out the window. “This...criminal is giving the people ideas, stealing property and taking up arms against those of us that are protecting the people. She must be stopped.”

Emma grimaced, standing up. “All due respect, Colonel, but I was brought here from Boston to do a job, and that is to help take care of the sick and wounded. I make it a point to not get involved in those kinds of things. Particularly because I am not a soldier, and my oath as a doctor prohibits me from taking another person's life, no matter what they have done. Now, if you could show me where I will be setting up my clinic?”

Biting his tongue to prevent him from lashing out at his new employee, he merely smiled and started to walk back to the door. “Of course, I will show you to your station in the barracks.”

“A station in the barracks? I was promised that I would get a clinic,” Emma harrumphed.

At that moment, Gold was seriously regretting firing Smee.

* * *

Regina had no idea what had gotten into her; after assuring Marian that she was fine, Regina sat by the fountain, wondering what had driven her to pick a fight with the new town Doctor.

Well, in her defense, Regina didn’t know who she was, but at the same time, she had relished the argument, the back and forth - it was more exciting than some of the duels and sword fights she’d had. But it was unlike her to get into it with anyone, verbally or otherwise. Regina had always projected the image of a very calm and composed lady, and she generally didn’t bother correcting people on titles, even though in today’s society, she should. But despite all of that, she found herself wanting to keep trading verbal jabs with the fine Doctor.

She shook her head. She had to get a grip. Now was not the time to be distracted, she had a mission.

“Hyah!” a young boy, of probably some ten or so years, was brandishing a wooden sword at her. He had also fashioned some fabric to act as a cape, tied off with a bow in front of his neck. His grin was wide, and his stance was all wrong for an actual fight, but Regina still found herself chuckling.

“And who are you supposed to be?”

“Zorro!” the child said, raising his little sword high in the air.

“Oh really? He was a very noble hero, but from very long ago, how did you hear of him?” Regina asked, a pang of sadness coming over her.

The boy staked his sword in the ground and leant on it. “My mom told me his stories! We just moved here, and she told me about what's going on! Especially about the Queen!”

Regina shifted in her perch a bit. “Oh? And what do you think about her?”

“She’s cool!” the kid said, beaming. “But my mom doesn’t think so.”

“Oh? What does she think about her?”

“She thinks the Queen is dangerous,” a new voice said. It was the Doctor, standing with her arms crossed. “She also explicitly told her son to not talk to strangers…”

He cringed. “Sorry mom.”

“Go wait by the cart, okay Henry?” his mother said, giving Regina the barest of glances.

Regina barely registered the child’s name as he scurried off. She stood up and said, “Wait, Doctor…”

The Doctor turned to face Regina, exasperated. “Look, señorita, I’m really not interested in what you have to say.”

“I just wanted to apologize-” Regina tried again.

“And I repeat, I’m not interested. Look, I know about your kind: rich, comfortable, and you probably think you’re owed the respect you command. Unfortunately for you, I couldn’t care less for status. So, I bid you good day, señorita.”

With that, Regina was left standing by the fountain, speechless. Clearly the other woman was not going to be easy to get along with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And our two ladies have met! Not the warmest of receptions huh?
> 
> Maybe a masked vigilante might change that?


	6. Behind the Mask

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Queen and the Doctor meeting, what could go wrong?

It would be another week before Emma got the chance to meet the illustrious Queen of Swords. 

Evening had fallen over the town, and Henry had just gone to sleep. She was just about to sit down at her desk and write when she heard a loud clang of a bell ringing outside. She glanced at her pocket watch. It wasn’t the church bells, and after a quick check that Henry was still fast asleep - he was, having thankfully been gifted with the ability to sleep through anything - Emma walked out to her porch, leaning out of the railings to see what the commotion was about. 

A couple of excited whispers from people rushing to the Town Square were whispering about catching a glimpse of the Queen, and Emma rolled her eyes. How could they not see that this vigilante was dangerous?

With the amount of injuries from soldiers that she’d had to tend to ever since she arrived, Emma didn’t understand why the people were so quick to revere the Queen.

Looking back out towards the Square, she heard galloping hooves, and in the distance, the Queen was rushing through the street on her dark horse, truly a vision in black, save for a red sash around her waist. 

Emma watched in fascination as the Queen rushed past her house, with a contingent of guards trying to catch her. Some were chasing after her on their own horses, while others were vainly trying to run on foot. It would be comical if it weren’t for the stray shots flying in the air.

These guards couldn’t aim for shit, Emma concluded at that moment, ducking to dodge the stray bullet.

Heading back inside, Emma kept watching out the window, from the safety of her home. She certainly was fascinated watching this woman take on a veritable army, and still come out on top.

As the chase raged on, the Queen moved to another part of town, and Emma sighed. She walked into her clinic, which was really just a large room on one side of her home. She could imagine the long line of patients she would have to deal with as soon as the injured started piling up.

As she readied some sheets, and got out her collection of salves and bandages, Emma began to see the appeal of the Queen. It was exciting to see her in action, and in a town where the regular people were almost afraid to greet one another, this gave them a sense of freedom. And of course, the mystery of who could possibly be behind the mask.

* * *

The next morning, the news broke out - the bank had been emptied of the tax money collected over the past year. And in order to ensure that the money couldn’t be retaken, the Queen had taken the box of receipts and the book of records, so no one could track how much anyone owed with their taxes. It would take months to re-assess, assuming that the Queen wouldn’t take any new attempts to form taxes.

As imagined, Emma had a lot of patients waiting for her. As she worked her way through patching everyone up, she noticed that they were all sporting relatively superficial injuries, mostly cuts and bruises, as if the point was to stop them from chasing the Queen, nothing that would actually injure or seriously harm anyone. She had to admit that it was an impressive skill that the vigilante had, to shake her pursuers, all the while without causing permanent damage.

By the time she was done, the sun was beginning to set. Henry was in his room, studying, and Emma was wrapping everything up, putting away her tools and throwing out the truly bloody sheets, ones that certainly wouldn't be cleaned with a wash. She suddenly heard some noises coming from behind her, and she grew weary. She slowly reached for a scalpel, before rapidly turning around, holding the utensil tightly in front of her.

Before her, stood the Queen of Swords. In the dimming candlelight, Emma was hypervigilant as to whether the Queen was about to pull a fast one on her, even though her rapier and dagger were sheathed. 

“I’m not here to hurt you,” the Queen said. Her voice was low and sultry, and Emma had never been so conflicted between being scared and drawn to a voice.

“Of course,” was all Emma was able to muster, gripping the table with her left hand, and holding the scalpel even tighter in her right hand.

The Queen chuckled. “And pray tell, what was your plan if you had been faced with an actual criminal?”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “Implying you’re not? Nonetheless, I am armed, and you’re not.”

“By the time you get within range with your little scalpel, I’d be more than ready to take you on,” the Queen riposted, unperturbed. She even crossed her arms in front of her to further prove her point.

“Sometimes, it’s not the length of the weapon, but the skill of the wielder - and I bet that I can do more damage with this scalpel, knowing where all the arteries are, than you can swing your rapier.”

The Queen bowed her head. “Touche. Nonetheless, I came to ask for your help.”

Emma did a double take. “What could you possibly need a doctor for?”

“I was distributing money, and came across someone who is very sick. He can barely get up, and he lives in the outskirts outside of town. can you come with me to help him?”

Emma was torn for a moment. She wanted to help, it was part of the code she took to become a doctor. The problem was trusting the vigilante in front of her.

And then there was Henry. “I have a child, I can’t leave him.”

The Queen thought for a moment, and then she subtly approached the window, keeping an eye on Emma and her scalpel, and she peeked out the curtain to the Town Square. “Do you see the woman there in the market, in the green shawl?”

Emma took a glance and spotted the darker skinned, curly haired brunette with a basket in hand. “Yes?”

“That’s Marian. You can trust her, she can watch over your son. I’ll wait by the back door, meet me there as soon as you’re done.”

“Okay.” Emma briefly informed Henry that she was going to leave for a bit to take care of a patient, but that she would be getting someone to watch over him. She went over to the Square, and found the woman the Queen had recommended.

“Excuse me, I’m really sorry to bother, are you Marian?” Emma asked, wondering for a quick second if maybe the Queen had been lying or setting her up for something. She had trusted so quickly. But in her defense, she'd heard about Marian from others, and it was positive things always, so she supposed that she had a basis of tentative trust.

“Yes? Can I help you?” Marian asked, frowning slightly in confusion at the approach.

“I’m really sorry to bother, but I need to meet a patient, and I have no one to watch my son, would you be able to-”

“Of course! Lead the way.” Marian bade the vendor a quick goodbye before going with Emma. “Are you alright? Not to infringe on your medical skills, but you seem a bit pale.”

Emma hummed, opening the door and beckoning Marian in. “Yes, just tired. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Marian got herself situated, greeting Henry while Emma readied her bag full of supplies to help the ailing patient that the Queen was going to take her to.

Before she left, Emma decided to be cautious, and went to speak with Marian privately in hushed tones. “In case I am not back by morning, please tell the authorities that I went to the outskirts of town.”

Nodding slowly, Marian asked, “Is this patient dangerous?”

Emma shook her head. “No, but my companion is.”

Marian grew more confused by the minute. “Who is your companion then?”

“The Queen,” was all Emma said before she left via the back door.

Walking out, she scanned for the Queen. Not seeing her at first, she huffed, throwing her arms up. All of that just to be left behind?

She heard hoofbeats, and saw the Queen, mounted on her steed, approach her slowly, having been hiding in the dark alley between two other houses. “Ready?”

Emma could only nod as the horse stopped by her, and the Queen extended her hand to pull Emma up to ride behind her.

Taking the leather-clad hand, she hoisted herself up on the saddle behind the Queen, who said, “Hang on.”

And hang on she did. A little known fact about Emma was that she didn’t do too well riding on horseback. On a carriage or a cart, no problem, but the galloping speed that the horse was picking up was making her nauseous, and she wrapped her arms around the Queen’s waist, much to her chagrin, and burrowed her head into the Queen’s back in an attempt to calm her stomach. She swore she heard the Queen chuckle, but Emma honestly was too busy trying to keep her stomach inside her body to question it. So much for staying aloof.

Thankfully, the ride to the man’s shack was a quick one, and the brisk evening air helped Emma to not get too sick.

“We’re here,” the Queen said once the horse stopped. When Emma didn’t let go right away, the Queen placed one of her gloved hands gently over Emma’s tight grip around her waist. “Doctor? Are you alright?”

Emma cleared her throat and let go. “Uh yeah, I am, sorry. Just been a long day.”

Thankfully, the Queen left it at that, once again offering a hand, this time to help Emma down. Once they were both on the ground, the Queen led them towards the house, knocking.

A frazzled woman opened the door a bit, relieved once she saw the Queen. “Gracias a dios.”

The Queen walked in with the Doctor in tow. The shack was a modest one room dwelling, and as soon as Emma saw the man lying down on the bed, feverish and pale, she rushed forward to find out what was going on.

A few hours passed, and Emma was barely conscious of the two other women with her. She only had eyes for her patient, who was deliriously getting worse by the minute.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Emma said with a heavy sigh, after her latest attempt to counter the disease didn’t work.

The Queen hummed, and turned to the third woman, who she had learned, was named Paula. “How did he get like this?”

Paula shrugged. “To be honest, su majestad, I have no idea. My husband had been taken by the Colonel’s men months ago. I hadn’t heard from him or seen him in so long, I had feared he was dead. Suddenly, just a few hours before you had arrived, he stumbles in the house, collapsing, half dead, dusty as if he had been working the fields, clothes all torn and dishevelled. I tried to ask him where he’d been, but as you can see, he’s delirious, he can’t form words.”

Emma looked pensive. “More than fields, it almost seems as if he’s been in a cave. The rocks and mud on his clothes match more what you’d find if you were mining. Though the dirt on his hair makes it seem like he was rolled down a cliff.”

The Queen approached Emma, and asked, “Is there no way to get him to make sense for a few minutes? Perhaps knowing where he was will help narrow down what happened and what caused this?”

“There could be, I could give him a dose of something strong enough to kick his brain back into working, but it could come with risks, he could succumb to his delirium once he comes back down from that rush. It’s up to you, señora,” Emma explained, turning to Paula for the last part.

With a heavy sigh, Paula said, clutching the crucifix around her neck, “As much as it pains me, I’m sure Ernesto would want us to know.”

Emma reached into her bag and pulled out a syringe, and within seconds, the man had shot up sitting as if he had been stuck with a red-hot poker.

“Where am I?” he asked, looking around. He then saw his wife and smile. “Paula, I made it back.”

Although the Queen would have wanted nothing more than to let the couple reunite, she knew they were on a clock. “Señor Ernesto, I’m sorry, but I really need you to focus. What happened? Where were you for all of these months?”

The man looked at the Queen of Swords as if she were an apparition. “Am I dead?”

“Not yet, but we really need these answers,” Emma said, face betraying that she was uncomfortable to be pressuring the man.

Paula approached the bed, got on her knees by the edge of the bed and said, “Cariño, por favor, tell us.”

Ernesto nodded. “I was taken by the Captain, for some crime that they never bothered to explain to me. My punishment was to work in a mine. They’re looking for something, though won’t tell us what. They just tell us that if we find anything peculiar that shines, we’re to report it immediately. There were dozens of us working that mine, but it’s an old rickety thing, there have been cave-ins and infections are high. I was one of them, and rather than try to help us heal, they throw us off a cliff and leave us to rot. Though rather than die, I managed to muster myself up, and make my way back. Mi amor, I’m so sorry for scaring you.”

While the couple shared a tender moment, the Queen took Emma to another corner where they could speak in peace. “Does that help, Doctor?”

Emma nodded. “Knowing that they were in a cave, I can definitely find a cure. We only have a few problems.”

“Name them,” the Queen said.

“I think I know what it is, but its cure is hard to make-”

“What do you need? I can find a way to get it for you-”

“No, that’s not the issue, I have the ingredients, it’s just that it takes a longer time, and I don’t think I’ll have a cure ready before Ernesto succumbs to his injuries.”

“Oh,” the Queen muttered, forlorn. “Is there anything we can do?”

Emma sighed, watching the couple talk. “Not really. He will soon go back to that state of delirium, and soon enough, die. His only hope is that I can finish this antidote before that happens.”

The Queen glanced at the older couple. “We can only hope.”

After a few minutes, Paula whimpered as Ernesto got less and less coherent. “He’s burning up!”

Emma rushed back and gave her instructions on what to do, while the Queen went to wait outside. Once Emma exited the house, she looked dejected, but considerably perplexed once she saw that the Queen hadn’t left.

“Is Ernesto doing okay? All things considered, I mean,” the Queen asked as soon as Emma was standing closer.

“Yes, I think he’s a fighter, we might be able to get the antidote to him in time,” Emma said as the Queen got on her horse.

“Then why do you look so surprised?” The Queen held out her hand to help Emma up, and after a second, she took it, getting on the horse.

“Honestly, I thought you had left,” Emma said, adjusting herself on the saddle.

Although Emma couldn’t see it, the Queen frowned. “Why would I do that?”

As they started riding out of the area, Emma wrapped her arms around the Queen’s waist without even being prompted. “I don’t know. I’m still not sure who you are and what you’re supposed to be.”

“In simplest terms, I’m a symbol. I want the people of Storybrooke to know that they don’t have to live under this tyranny.”

Now it was Emma’s turn to frown. “Tyranny? I will admit that the Colonel isn’t exactly the best leader, but I hardly understand calling him a tyrant.”

“That’s because you haven’t been here long - you haven’t spoken to the people. They are afraid. They are getting robbed and mistreated. You saw how Ernesto was. He said it himself, he was arrested for a crime that he doesn’t even know of, and made to work in a mine in unsafe conditions, not being able to see his wife for months, or tell her that he’s alive. And that’s only one case. He can’t be the only one working in that mine, and that’s not including the people that are murdered.”

“Wow,” Emma breathed. She really had had no idea all of this was happening.

They rode in silence for a bit, until the Queen felt that Emma squeezed her arms a bit tighter around her stomach. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, just that riding horse-back makes me a bit nauseous,” Emma responded, burrowing her head in the Queen’s back and letting out a soft groan.

The Queen stopped the horse a bit off to the side, away from the road, beneath a lone tree. The sun had almost set, and brought a crisp breeze. “I had surmised as much, which was why I had Rocinante ride a bit slower.”

“Rocinante being the horse you stole from Gold that we’re currently riding?” Emma dryly responded. “Cool name. Fan of Don Quixote?”

“Yes,” the Queen said with a small unseen by her companion. She had spent her childhood having her father read the tales, and the horse’s name stuck.

“Do you mind if I just jump down for a bit? I need to get my bearings.”

The Queen helped Emma down, and she herself climbed down as well. At Emma’s questioning look, the Queen said, “Just so you know I’m not leaving you.”

“How noble of you.” After a moment, Emma added, “But, thank you.”

“For my supposed nobility at climbing down from my horse?” the Queen retorted sarcastically.

Emma cringed. “Sorry. I use biting humour to ward off people-”

“Implying I need to be warded off?”

“No! I mean...look, I’m still getting used to living in the same town as a real life vigilante the likes of Zorro. This kind of thing didn’t happen in Boston. He’s just a story there from times ago, in a land far away. To see that I’m faced with a modern lady version...you’re just very disarming.”

“Disarming? I’ll take it as a compliment from someone who wanted to execute me via scalpel by surgically throwing it at me.”

Emma laughed. “Not my fault you don’t know how to knock.”

“Like you would have opened if I had said who I was,” the Queen countered easily, a smile forming on her own lips.

“Touché.” Emma grew serious as she continued, leaning against the tree. “Nonetheless, I’m a generally cautious person, preferring to be in the background, so to find myself in such a position, where the Colonel tells me you’re a criminal, and seeing you ride out to get me to visit one random person because they’re sick, makes me wonder who is truly right.”

The Queen nodded. “I can understand. It’s not an easy position to find yourself in. And I can’t decide that for you - I’m sure if you were to ask Gold, he’d find a way to twist things so he’d be seen as a hero - but know I am doing this for justice. Sometimes things happen and in this case, I had to take a stand and do something about it.”

Emma hummed. “I can understand that, I had a similar path to becoming a doctor.”

“That’s something I was wondering...how did you end up becoming a doctor?” the Queen asked.

“Try being pregnant and living alone. I couldn’t afford a doctor, so I had to settle with reading books to self-diagnose. Once Henry was born, time was all I had, so I kept on studying, eventually opening a clinic, before coming here.” 

“Wow, that sounds like quite an endeavour,” the Queen commented. Emma was clearly over-simplifying the ordeal a bit, since she was sure there was more to the story, but she didn’t press.

“Speaking of, how exactly did you get started as a vigilante? Did you train? Did you just show up here to kick ass and take names?”

The Queen let out a melodic laugh, and Emma felt her heart skip a beat.

“No. I- someone close to me was murdered by the Colonel.”

“What?!” Emma yelped, shooting up from her relaxed position against the tree. “He murdered someone? Why hasn't he been arrested?”

The Queen shook her head. “He had the Captain do the deed, and there were no witnesses, at least not directly. I can’t just write to the Spanish courts and claim hearsay. They’d never give me the time of day.”

Emma hummed. “What was the official cause of death?”

“He fell off his horse,” the Queen explained. “But some people heard shots.”

“Okay, what about the body?”

“Body?”

“Yes,” Emma began to explain. “Surely if this man was shot, then his body would show that, and not that he had died from a fall. Did you get to look at the body?”

The Queen shook her head. “No. he was buried before I had…gotten the chance to see.”

Thankfully, Emma didn’t catch the near slip, as she was pensive. “Well, we could unearth the body, but that might lead to issues-”

“Not to mention that it would draw attention to me, his family, and tip Gold off,” the Queen added. “No, I need to find evidence another way, but I appreciate that you would hatch such a plan for someone you weren’t sure you could trust a few hours ago.”

Emma smiled softly. “That was before you waited for me and stopped to let me catch my breath. Speaking of, we should probably get back.”

The Queen nodded, and once they were back on Rocinante, they made their way into town, with the Queen expertly weaving around the back streets and alleys to safely get Emma home without crossing paths with Gold’s guards.

Once Emma had gotten off the horse, the Queen said, “Thank you, for taking a chance and helping me out with this.”

Emma turned around and beamed. “Of course - though I should really be thanking you for showing me more of who you are. Maybe one day I’ll even find out who you really are.”

The Queen laughed, watching as Emma began walking backwards towards the house. “Perhaps. Have a good night, Doctor.”

“Good night, your Majesty,” Emma said, with a flourish, even bowing a bit.

With another laugh and a shake of her head, the Queen left, both women feeling content and lighter than they’d either been for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what'd you think?


	7. Patching Things Up

The next few days proved to be busy for Emma. She was painstakingly working on finding a cure for Ernesto. News of his escape and current condition had made its way around town, and after everything the Queen had told her, she was afraid that, if Gold was truly as bad as described, he would get rid of him because of what Ernesto knew.

The pressure was on, and after 3 days, she had a potential cure. While she could just ride out to Paula and Ernesto’s house, she was a bit weary about going by herself. She wasn’t sure what to expect, particularly if what she feared would come to pass. So she had an idea. She didn't know as to whether it would work, but she would at least try.

While in the market, she found Marian shopping for some fabric, and quickly approached the maid. “Could we have a word?”

Marian was startled at first but quickly got over it. “Of course, is there a problem?”

Emma looked around. “Can we go somewhere more privately to talk?”

“Certainly,” Marian said, leading the way to a quiet alley away from the Square. “What’s wrong?”

“I know this is going to sound like a peculiar question, but how do I contact the Queen?”

“Of Spain?” Marian cluelessly answered. “I imagine a letter, but it-”

“No, no, of Swords. The Queen of Swords,” Emma was quick to rectify.

“Oh. I haven’t the faintest clue,” Marian said. “Why would you think I would know?”

And so Emma explained how the other night, the Queen had pointed her out when she had gone to see Paula and Ernesto. “So I figured, if she knew you by name, maybe you’d have some way of contacting her.”

Marian shrugged. “I apologize, Doctor, but I’m afraid I can’t help you. I didn’t even know she knew my name, much less who I was and what I looked like. Then again, I’ve heard people say she’s vigilant and keeps an eye and ear on the town, so it’s likely that she might find out?”

Emma hummed. “Perhaps.”

Although Emma had her doubts that the Queen would magically appear that night, she was proven wrong when Emma was closing up her clinic for the night, and found the Queen entering via the back door.

“You startled me!” Emma yelped, before adding, “Do you truly not know how knocking works?”

The Queen smiled. “I do, I just choose not to draw attention to myself. Nonetheless, you wanted to see me?”

Emma frowned. “How on earth did you get wind of that? I thought Marian said she didn’t know you?”

“And that’s true,” the Queen responded, without missing a beat, giving credence that she truly didn’t know the maid. “I just have ways of finding out.”

Thankfully, Emma decided to leave it at that, and instead just pulled out the vial she had been carefully hiding, lest someone try to steal it. “Want to go save Ernesto?”

“It’d be my honour.” The Queen led the way back out through the back door, and towards Rocinante, dutifully waiting by the shadows.

As she got on and held out her hand for Emma to take, the Queen suddenly remembered something. “What about your son?”

“Spending the night with some friends,” Emma explained, getting on the horse and wrapping her arms around the Queen’s waist. The vial was safely stored in a pouch tied to leather sash, so she was able to hang on tightly. Maybe a bit tighter than normal, but neither the Queen nor Emma minded.

Once they arrived at Ernesto and Paula’s house, the Queen was perplexed by the fact that the house was completely dark. Usually by now, it’d be common to see candlelight coming through a window, but there wasn’t anything, not even a glimpse of movement.

“Maybe they’re sleeping?” Emma theorized once the Queen voiced her apprehension.

“Perhaps. Stay close behind me,” the Queen said, after helping Emma down.

She pulled out her rapier and slowly made her way towards the door. The Queen tried to knock, but the door creaked open when she brought her knuckles to the worn wood.

The pair inched their way in, and much to their chagrin, found their answers sprawled out in the middle of the room, illuminated by the moon coming in through the windows.

Emma rushed forward to the couple lying on the floor, but the Queen knew, from looking at the dried blood, it was too late. “They’re dead.”

“Yes, shot at close range too, from what I can see,” Emma said, examining the gunshot wounds, kneeling beside them. After a few minutes, Emma stood back up and sighed. “Who would do this?”

The Queen gave Emma a pointed glare. “Are you seriously asking me that?”

Emma faltered for a second, before she realized that the vigilante was implying. “You think....? No- I mean, why?”

“Take a guess. Wanting to protect whatever secret mining expedition he’s got going on, to stop Ernesto from blowing the whistle on what he’s doing, to prevent other miners from trying to escape?” the Queen listed, crossing her arms. “The truth is, we have no idea of what Gold is capable of. You need to be careful. You have your son to take care of.”

Nodding, Emma breathed, “Yeah, I will.”

“Good, now come on, let’s get you back.”

Under the cover of night, the Queen took Emma back to her home. But in the distance, looking from his perch, Graham watched as the Queen escorted the Doctor away.

* * *

The next morning, Emma found herself opening the door to the Colonel and his Captain. They invited themselves into her home before she could even ask what this was about.

“You know, Doctor, I had been under the impression that we were on the same page,” Gold began, walking further into Emma’s home with his hands clasped behind his back.

Emma frowned. “I’m not sure what page you’re talking about, but if you’re referring to the fact that I’m merely here to take care of the sick residents of this town, we are in agreement.”

Gold let out a mirthless chuckle. “That’s what I would have thought at first, that, as you said when you came here, you had no interests in politics, the vigilante, and any such matters.”

“And I still stand by it,” Emma said with a firm nod.

“Yet, Captain Humbert informed me of something last night that directly contradicts your words,” Gold revealed. “Captain, why don’t you tell the good Doctor here what you saw.”

Humbert was more than glad to oblige, grinning hungrily as he said, “I saw both you and the Queen cozily riding off into the night after paying that dead escaped convict and his wife a visit. Too bad they were already dead huh?”

Emma tried her best to keep her face level. She was never the best poker player, and it showed.

“Please, Doctor, don’t insult everyone’s intelligence by pretending that it’s not true,” Gold said with a sigh. “We know, and we saw. The question is, why would you do such a thing? Surely you didn’t think you would get away with it? There are always consequences to one’s actions, you know.”

At that moment, Emma began to panic, and her mind was working furiously on how she could possibly get away from this. Only one solution presented itself, and Emma took a deep breath. “I can explain.”

“Do tell.”

* * *

Later that afternoon Regina was accompanying Marian to the market. “I don’t understand why you feel the need to go practically every single day,” Regina was saying. “Or why I need to be here.”

“Because I like to use fresh ingredients, and cooking meals for everyone in the house uses a lot of resources. Besides, you’d get bored otherwise,” Marian explained, examining some nuts.

Regina sighed, hands fidgeting in front of her. She felt like she should be doing more, working harder on her crusade. If Gold had murdered Ernesto and his wife, then clearly he didn’t fear any repercussions of what the Queen would do. He clearly just saw her as a nuisance, not a threat. And for that, Regina would need to up the game.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Marian softly placing a hand on Regina’s arm. “Señorita, did you hear?”

Regina frowned. “Hear what?”

“I was just speaking with Anita, apparently word has gotten around that Doctor Swan was seen with the Queen of Swords,” Marian looked worried, and Regina knew there was something more. This wasn’t just simple town gossip.

She looked to the shopkeeper, who held a genuinely horrified look on her face.

“And?” she prompted, and she internally cringed at her imperious tone.

Anita looked around carefully to make sure they weren’t overheard. “The Doctor claims she was being threatened to do so, the Queen was going to hurt her son otherwise! She told everything to the Colonel, so now the Captain has men patrolling and guarding the Doctor’s house....and we all thought she was for the people. Who would threaten a child?”

Marian and Regina shared a glance, but kept quiet until they had left the stall. “I take it you did no such thing?” Marian asked.

“Of course not!” Regina hissed, shooting quick glances around. “I should talk to Emma.”

“Emma? Didn’t know you were on a first name basis?” Marian joked.

“We’re not.” Regina sighed. “You know what I mean.”

“Be careful. If she lied about this, who knows, perhaps she is working for Gold.”

Regina shook her head. “I refuse to believe it.”

Marian wasn’t convinced. “Nonetheless, you heard Anita, what about the guards?”

Regina shrugged. “They’re looking for the Queen, not Regina.”

“And what would Regina be doing there?” Marian asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow for good measure.

Bringing her hand up to her forehead, Regina said, a bit louder, “You know Marian, I think my head feels a bit warmer than usual.”

Marian caught on to the situation, and brought her own hand to feel Regina’s forehead. “I do agree, perhaps you should go.”

As Regina made her way to the Doctor’s home and clinic, she wondered what could have brought Emma to lie like that. She thought they were partners, at the very least working together, and if Regina was honest, she wouldn’t mind if they were more. Sure, when they first met, they clashed, but Regina was sure that it was only because she was pretending to be a shallow aristocrat. Regina truly enjoyed spending time with the other woman, the question was whether Emma felt the same way.

It wasn’t common for women to be seen together in a romantic sense, but Regina had always known that she was attracted to the fairer sex. The problem was figuring out who shared her same inclinations. In this case, Regina had no idea if Emma was interested in her in that way.

Shaking her head, Regina knew she had to focus. As she approached the Doctor's clinic, she saw the guards patrolling. They barely gave Regina a glance before continuing to walk, clearly not thinking an aristocrat would be any threat. If only they knew.

Regina walked up to the door and pushed it open, walking into the Doctor’s clinic, where the latter was currently busy tending to a very frazzled Zelena Glass. While Regina hadn’t had many opportunities to interact with Señora Glass, she knew of her reputation as a big gossip, as well as the many rumours that she used to cheat on her husband and sleep with the Captain, until it abruptly ended - coincidentally right around the time the Captain began trying to court Regina. Truly, the only person that didn’t seem to know about the infidelity rumours was her husband, Don Sidney Glass.

“Is everyone in this town allergic to knocking?” Emma fumed as she saw the new guest.

Trying to hold back from one of her usual quips, Regina merely straightened her posture more and said, “Really, Doctor, forgive me for the impertinence, but I had just heard the news that the Queen had been threatening your son!”

“I heard the terrible news as well,” Zelena piped up from her perch on the Doctor’s bench.

Emma barely disguised her groan, which prompted Zelena to add, “Really? I would have thought that such a thing happening would elicit a different kind of reaction.”

Shaking her head, Emma said, “It’s a long story. Now hold your wrist out for me to take your pulse.”

“Well time is all we have, isn’t that right, Regina is it?” Zelena added, giving Regina a grin and a wink as she held out her wrist for Emma to take. “I can’t believe we haven’t had the chance to meet properly yet.”

Regina sat down in a nearby chair by Emma’s desk and nodded. “Yes and yes. I’d actually been meaning to speak to you, but getting my father’s estate cleared up is no easy feat.”

“Sorry,” Emma interjected, dropping Zelena’s wrist, prompting the latter to yelp a bit as her center of balance changed suddenly and she jerked forward violently. Emma’s lips were pursed as she turned to face Regina, clearly not interested in holding a parlour meeting in her clinic. “But are you in any way ill, señorita? Or are you just here to chat?”

Adopting a look of mock horror, Regina responded with, “Really Doctor, a bit impertinent aren’t you? For your information, my head’s a bit heated up, my maid Marian suggested-”

“Marian is _your_ maid?” Emma interjected.

“For someone who is big on manners such as door-knocking, you truly have no qualms with interrupting,” Regina countered, before responding, “And yes, she is, is there a problem with that?”

Emma cleared her throat, turning back to Zelena. “No, I’ve just seen her around.”

Zelena was looking at the entire scene very raptly, and seeing that Emma had finished and was back to taking her pulse, she turned back to Regina and added, “I was going to say earlier, my condolences from my husband and I on your father’s passing, he was a great man, truly, and a beacon of hope and positivity for this town.”

“Please stand up and balance on one leg,” Emma instructed, trying to not lose her patience at the two gossiping aristocrats. Dealing with one at a time was bad enough, but two? She would rather prefer to suck on a bucket of rusted nails.

“Oh Doctor, my balance is terrible, I will remind you that I’m a bit dizzy lately,” Zelena said with a pout, standing up.

Emma kept her face impassive as she moved to stand in front of Zelena and said, “Yes, I know, that’s why I want to see how you react. Don’t worry, I’ll be standing right here in front of you. Now, hold your arms out, and stand on your left leg.”

Zelena did as asked, and Emma dutifully let her hands hover under Zelena’s arms, ready to catch her and steady her. She wobbled a bit, but was mostly stable.

“Good, now your right.”

As Zelena went to switch her leg, she looked to Regina and added, “Anyway, it’s such a shame that he fell from his horse. Terrible way to go.”

A few things happened in that moment. First, Zelena’s balance on her right leg was terrible, and she began to fall forward. While Emma was meant to catch her, she had unfortunately been paying attention to Zelena and Regina’s conversation, and upon hearing about Don Mills’ cause of death, a puzzle piece clicked in her mind about someone else’s relative that had supposedly died via a fall from their horse, and she whipped around to look at Regina, incredulous. Meanwhile Regina was also realizing that Emma was making the connection that she was the Queen, and she panicked and did the first thing she could think to do.

With the ensuing cacophony of noises, the guards barged in to find a fallen Zelena cursing like a sailor, a shocked Emma gaping, and a fainted Regina.

When Regina came to, Zelena was chatting with the two guards, while Emma was hovering above her, looking worried. “Are you alright?”

Regina groaned and sat up, “Yes, I’m fine Doctor.”

Emma stepped back, and there was a palpable tension in the room. Regina knew that Emma was certain that she was the Queen, and Regina was having mixed feelings, on one hand, she wouldn’t mind if Emma knew, but with the lie that Regina had supposedly threatened Emma’s son, she was wondering how much she could truly trust in the Doctor.

Meanwhile, Emma was trying to come to terms that the woman in front of her could very well be the elusive vigilante.

Regina was trying to do some form of damage control - she pursed her lips and adopted a look of disdain, trying her hardest to appear every bit the aristocratic jerk. “Now, Doctor, have you really never heard of a person dying because they fell off their horse? It’s the most common thing around these parts.”

“Well no yes, I have but-” Emma stuttered and stumbled over her answer.

“By your reaction and the chaos here, I’d say this is far from professional,” Regina said, getting up from the bench and summoning a guard to accompany her back to her cart. “I would suggest that you better learn how to speak around your betters.”

The guard quickly made his way beside Regina, and dutifully held his arm out. Emma watched as Regina took it, looking a little discombobulated, and Emma shook her head.

There was no way that Regina could be the Queen. If their polar opposite attitudes weren’t enough proof, Emma thought back to the Queen’s sultry and more guttural voice in contrast to the imperious and demanding higher-pitched tone she had used. If she had truly been the Queen, Emma would eat her vest.

* * *

A few nights later, Regina found herself skulking around Gold’s office. While sowing chaos and dissent among Gold’s and Humbert’s men was great fun and helped to build Regina’s case that Gold was an unsuitable leader for Storybrooke, she still needed concrete proof.

What Emma said about her father’s own body being proof of a crime was true, and Regina had considered asking to have her father’s body dug up, but she would have been the talk of town, and would have given her hand away. Just having Emma almost make the connection that day made Regina panic and see how much over-sharing could reveal herself. She had been careless, and she had to protect herself, and those closest to her. If Gold had had no issues murdering her father, then he would dispose of her before she could begin drafting a letter to the Spanish courts. No, she needed to have all of her proof ready, and do it in disguise. 

She couldn’t risk anyone finding out anything about her. She had to focus on her mission and bring justice to Storybrooke. The people were gradually warming up to her, despite the erroneous rumour of her having threatened Henry, Emma’s son, and for that, Regina was grateful. It made her feel that what she was doing was actually making a difference. The problem now was finding proof.

Ransacking the office, Regina didn’t care about erasing her presence. She wanted Gold to know. She was going to make sure he knew. But after over an hour of fruitlessly searching, she decided to take the more direct approach.

Unsheathing her rapier, she made her way to Gold’s bedroom on the same floor. She was surprised the floor wasn’t more guarded, but then again, Gold wasn’t expecting her to be inside the Town Hall.

Walking up to the bed, she saw Gold was fast asleep, his covers up to his neck. She brought her rapier up to his chin, and began to gently wave it around, creating a nice current of air to tickle him.

Gold woke up with a start, finding the Queen of Swords standing mere feet in front of him, holding a rapier up to his face.

“Don’t try to scream out for help,” the Queen warned.

With a harrumph, Gold shot back, “Or what? You’ll kill me? How will the people react?”

The Queen snared, “Says the one who has actually murdered people?”

At that, Gold let out a mirthless laugh. “Murder? I don’t murder. I don’t know who you have been talking to dearie, but if that’s the crux of this vendetta of yours, you are wasting your time.”

Not letting herself be swayed, she pressed the tip of her rapier closer against the Colonel’s throat. “Don’t test my patience. You may lie to your people, but you can’t seriously expect me to believe that you haven’t had anyone killed.”

Gold wasn’t perturbed by the accusation. “Oh certainly. This filthy town is filled with the most despicable criminals. Would you rather I let them walk free?”

The Queen narrowed her eyes. “You’ve had innocents slaughtered too. Like Ernesto.”

“The peasant that passed away a few days ago? The man was an escaped convict, serving out a sentence. By my definition, he’s a criminal too.”

“For a crime that he had no idea of. And he didn’t pass away, he was murdered.”

“Semantics,” Gold said with a shrug. “Besides, when the good Captain arrived at his home, the man was senile. He tried to use his wife as a shield, how cruel can a man get? Hiding behind his wife and putting her in peril. You would really be ready to call me a villain first over him?”

“Yes,” the Queen said. “Now, get up.”

As she stepped back, Gold looked puzzled, pulling the covers back and getting up from the bed. She still had her rapier trained on him, so he couldn’t pull any tricks. His sword was just out of reach. If he could only reach for it. It was on his desk at the side by the window, and he was in the middle of the room.

The Queen looked at Gold’s camisole. “Breezy enough for you?”

Gold harrumphed. His camisole was perhaps a bit shorter than usual, showing his bow legs. “Tell me you didn’t come here just to accuse me of being worse than this town’s criminals, and to ridicule my sleepwear.”

“Oh not at all. I want any and all incriminating documents that I know you are hiding.”

“And what gives you the idea that I would have any such thing?” Gold asked, trying to appear nonchalant, but his stance wavered just a bit that the Queen knew she was on the right track.

“Because you are corrupt. You tax the poor year after year and pocket the money for yourself. You create criminal convictions to have people in servitude to you in whatever your plan is with the mine you are hiding. I want all of the documents that prove it.”

Gold nodded slowly. “Bravo dearie. You have uncovered a criminal empire fully of your own making. Tell me, are you also suffering from that dead man’s delusion? I’d hate for the great Queen of Swords to be losing her grip on reality.”

“Says the one who is denying his mountain of crimes,” the Queen growled.

“And who is to say that someone isn’t framing me?” Gold said, stepping a bit back towards the wall, reaching out to rest his hand on his pillow. “Really, even if you were to come forward with this supposed proof, who would believe you?”

“The Spanish courts for one.”

“Those brainless idiots on the other side of the ocean? You really think they will take the word of a costumed vigilante over a decorated Colonel?” Before she could respond, Gold threw the pillow he had grabbed and lobbied it right into the Queen’s face, getting her to stumble back. 

That gave Gold enough time to rush as fast as he could to his desk, unsheathing his sword loudly with a metallic scrape of the blade against its scabbard. “Really, you’d think your reflexes would be a bit better.”

The Queen stood ready, having readjusted herself and her stance. “I would have also thought you’d be a reasonable man, I guess we both have disappointed the other.”

After a few moments of squaring each other up, the Queen said, “How about a wager?”

Gold raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“A duel, right here, right now. I win, you give me the papers you have.”

“And if I win?”

The Queen took a deep breath. “I vow to hang up my mask and sword, never to reappear.”

“I like the sound of that,” Gold said, before lunging to attack.

With a perfect parry, the Queen was more than ready for the attack. They continued trading blows and jabs, coordinating attacks and defenses as if they had trained and practised. If Gold hadn’t been filled with so much rage for the woman in front of him, he might have been impressed.

As it was, Gold’s own mix of rage and hubris at thinking that having this duel in his room would be an advantage, is exactly what led to his defeat.

For all of his skill and confidence, he completely missed the Queen’s feint that allowed her to disarm him and point the tip of her rapier once more at his throat.

Breathing heavily, she grinned. “The papers, if you’d please?”

At that, Gold let out a loud guffaw. “I was never planning on giving you the papers.”

“What?” the Queen thundered, pressing the tip deeper so it made a small incision. “You agreed to the terms of the duel!”

“I never did any such thing. I was only doing this to win. And to be frank, I would have divested you of your mask here and now if you had lost, and then killed you where you stood.”

The Queen let out a yell of rage, pushing him back onto the floor, placing a boot on his chest, and trained the tip of her rapier towards Gold’s heart.

Gold merely cackled. “Have I struck a nerve, your majesty?”

His tone was mocking, and it only infuriated her more. “You are despicable.”

“Well go on, take your vengeance. This is more than just Ernesto and the people. This is personal. I can see it in your eyes. You lost someone close to you. Who was it? A parent? A lover?”

“That’s none of your business,” the Queen uttered, teeth clenched, foot pressing ever so tighter that Gold flinched.

“Considering you’re about to kill me, I think I have the right to know.”

“No,” the Queen said. “I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to give you a warning.”

With that, she made an S with her rapier, and the skin over his heart began to bleed where the blade barely pierced his skin. He gasped and yelped as he felt the sting.

“You have no heart, and for that I know I can’t appease to your better angels. So I will instead make you fear me. Fear me because you know that one day, soon enough, I will take you down, you and everyone involved in your sorry excuse for a criminal regime. Take good care to watch the shadows, because you will never know if I am hiding there, waiting to strike.”

With that, the Queen ran towards the window, and pushed it open before jumping out. While Gold’s room was on the second floor, there was a tiny roof just beneath the window ledge. She had planned for her escape route, and used the roof to get towards a pergola, and climbed down towards her horse.

In the distance, she heard Gold screaming for his guards and yelling at them to find her and kill her. Much to Gold’s chagrin, she managed to escape easily into the night.

But Gold wouldn’t let it slide. As he took off his bloodied camisole, he saw the mark the Queen left on his heart. He would have his revenge. As he dressed himself again, Graham walked in, breathless.

“No one’s caught wind of her. It’s like she disappeared into the dessert.”

While Graham thought that Gold would be furious, the latter seemed unperturbed. “No matter. We have other things to do, and we must do it quickly.”

“Sir?”

“Come with me, I will explain.”

* * *

The next morning, Regina was rudely awoken with Marian literally shaking her awake.

“5 more minutes,” Regina groused. After the adrenaline from the night before wore off, she had crashed into the bed. It had been late, and Marian, always waiting up for her, had known that Regina wanted to sleep in. Being an aristocrat, no one saw anything peculiar about Regina wanting to sleep. They just attributed it to her being pampered.

“No, you have to wake up now!” Marian commanded. “Gold’s gone mad.”

Regina cracked an eye open to look at Marian. “What do you mean?”

“He rounded up all of the town’s market sellers and locked them up. He mounted a jail cell in the middle of town.”

At that, Regina shot up, wide awake. “He did what?”

Marian nodded. “I know. Some of the workers informed me when they came in. He’s demanding that the Queen surrender herself in order to free them.”

“Oh he’s going to get it.” Regina whisked the covers away and grabbed a gown to cover her pajamas. Before Marian could say anything else, she was off towards the cellar.

It was certainly a peculiar sight for the workers in the house to see their patron briskly making her way down the house in nothing more than her pajamas and gown. She didn’t even have slippers on, and her hair was unkempt.

Marian rushed behind, reassuring everyone that everything was fine and to just continue working. While she tried to sound confident, she had truly never seen Regina as angry as she was. When she had returned last night, she had told Marian everything that had happened, and while Marian was glad that Regina hadn’t gone the darker path of killing Gold, she wasn’t quite so sure that Regina would be able to hold herself back.

When they reached the grotto, Marian finally found the time to say, “Please be careful.”

“I will,” Regina succinctly said from behind the partition as she changed.

“Look, I know that he’s gone too far, but you have to know that he’s baiting you. He knows you tend to work during the night, because it allows you to hide in the shadows. You told him as much last night, and he’s doing this in the middle of the day when there won’t be a single shadow for you to hide behind. If you go to meet him there, he will surely have a plan to capture you.”

“So what do you suggest I do?” she asked, emerging, fully clothed as the Queen, save for the mask, which she grabbed from a table nearby and began to adjust over her eyes. “I will not sit around until nightfall.”

“I’m not suggesting that either. But you have to be smart. What if…”

* * *

“I don’t care about the Queen, you need to free those people right now!” Emma thundered, standing mere inches away from Gold. “It’s unhealthy for them to be in this cage!”

Gold chuckled. “My dear Doctor, while I appreciate your passion, this is bigger than their health. Now, please step back, or I will have my men detain you.”

Emma did step back, but her expression remained just the same. “I am still demanding their release. Surely you can achieve the same effect without endangering them like this!”

“No, she crossed a line last night, breaking into my home and acting like she did. I will not be intimidated by a woman with a grudge and too much time on her hands. She might have gotten the best of me last night, but today, I will be victorious.”

No longer had those words come out of his mouth that there was some commotion off to the distance. Gold and Emma both turned to look, and they saw a cloud of smoke billowing up into the sky. Gold turned to a guard meandering to the side.

“You! Go see what’s going on.”

The guard, merely a teenager, Emma noted, sprang up and rushed over. Just as he began trying to make his way towards a road that led to the direction of the incident. Then, he stopped.

“What the hell is his problem,” Gold grumbled, beginning to march his way towards where the guard was standing, paralyzed. Gold hadn’t taken more than a dozen steps before he himself stopped, seeing that the guard dropped his rifle, and began scurrying away back towards them like a bat out of hell.

He whizzed by them without offering them a single explanation or warning. Gold pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m surrounded by idiots,” he muttered.

Then, they heard it. It was like an earthquake had suddenly sprung up, but it felt different. The ground shook, but it sounded more like….hooves?

Suddenly, what seemed like all of the town’s horses were galloping towards them. Judging from the fact that the horses were riderless, they had escaped from the town stables. As the horses approached, the dust they were stirring up was creating a thick cloud that made it impossible to see. Gold braced himself, plastering himself against the side of the cage, seeing as the cage was the only thing that was splitting the stampede in half and giving them space in order to not get trampled. Emma had hidden behind the cage, and once the horses all passed, she stood back up just in time to see a contingent of Gold’s men, with the Captain at the helm, on their own horses, chasing after the escaped steeds.

Gold meanwhile, was furious. “This is the Queen’s doing, I know it.”

Comically, bringing up the rear was one of the stable hands, a young man named Neal, riding a tiny burro. Clearly, at the lack of horses, Neal had to settle for another form of transportation, but as the burro trotted steadily at a slow pace, Gold straight up smacked his face with his palm, and Emma was sure she heard him mutter, “I’m in a town surrounded by the most incompetent idiots.”

Before Emma could come up with a retort, someone slipped up behind Gold, snaked her arm around his elbows, locking his arms behind him, and pointed her rapier at his neck. The Queen.

“Well, this is a nice reunion. I certainly hadn’t expected to be seeing you again so soon after last night, Colonel,” the Queen said. Then she saw Emma’s confused glance and felt the need to clarify, “I wanted to inform the Colonel that I was coming for him, and gently warning him that I was seeking justice and would see it through.”

Gold scoffed, and retorted, “You attacked me in my own home and tried to murder me!”

“I did no such thing, now Doctor, would you be so kind as to grab the keys from Gold’s belt and free these people?”

“Guards!” Gold tried to attack, but it fell on deaf ears. “Shoot her you idiots!”

He could hear the smugness in the Queen’s voice as she said, “The guards that are still conscious are chasing after those horses that nearly trampled you, and the ones you had posted on the rooftops are all unconscious courtesy of yours truly, so by all means, keep yelling yourself hoarse.”

As Emma grabbed the keys, she felt Gold’s glare burning holes in her head. “Don’t you dare unlock that door Doctor.”

The Queen tutted. “I believe that the Doctor mentioned that I had threatened her child? The threat still stands.”

Emma whipped back around, half wanting to make sure the Queen wasn’t actually serious, and half to apologize. She knew the Queen would know it was a lie, but as she looked back, she caught the Queen’s subtle wink, which Gold couldn’t see. Emma gave the subtlest sighs of relief.

Gold growled. “You are a despicable criminal! I will see you hanged for this!”

The Queen rolled her eyes. “First you need to apprehend me, and I don’t see that happening any time soon.”

As Emma opened the gate to the cage, the relieved people bustled out, and they rushed to leave, giving appreciative looks to both Emma and the Queen.

“Now, I better not catch you trying this again, otherwise the only one that will be left behind those jail walls will be you.” With a swift push and a kick, Gold tripped and rolled on the dirt, grunting and groaning in pain. Looking to Emma, she gave a brief bow before whistling for her horse. “I appreciate your help, Doctor.”

At that moment, one lonely guard was approaching the Town Square, completely oblivious to what was currently happening, and Gold was lifting himself up when he saw him. “Jones! Shoot her now!”

The guard fumbled as he readied his weapon, while the Queen was running towards her approaching horse. He missed, so he rushed forward a bit more to use an empty stand to steady his weapon. As the Queen jumped onto her horse and began riding off, he fired. He heard the Queen exclaim in pain, but she kept riding.

Gold stumbled over towards him. “You got her?”

Jones nodded. “Aye. Was aiming for her head, but she moved too fast, got her on her left side.”

“Excellent!” Gold said, clapping Jones in the back. “At least some good news.”

* * *

The news had spread that the Queen had been injured, and Gold was salivating at getting the chance to catch her with her guard lowered. They had practically barricaded the town, with only one way in and out. Night had fallen, and no one had caught a glimpse of the injured vigilante.

Wanting to cover all of his bases, Gold had posted men outside of Emma’s clinic, certain that the Queen would show up and try to get help for her wound.

But for all of his confidence that tonight would be the night that he would finally apprehend the vigilante, the night passed and he was no closer to finding her, seeing as the Queen had escaped and made her way back to her lair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duuuun~
> 
> Gold's going crazy and Regina is injured! Whatever shall happen next?
> 
> Well, I know, you have to keep reading to find out haha.


	8. Cornered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are coming to a head!
> 
> Probably my fave chapter to write, and the inspiration to make this entire fic.
> 
> Enjoy!

If there was one thing to be said about Gold, it would be that he’s not the type to give in so easily. Which is why, despite not being able to apprehend the Queen the previous night, he had formulated another plan.

Once Graham had entered his office, Gold began to explain the plan. He was so fired up that he wasn’t even sitting behind his desk, but rather furiously pacing. “It’s simple. We know the Queen is injured, and she is weak. Now, if we were to host a party, we’d have the perfect opportunity to catch her!”

Graham frowned, standing in the middle of the room with his arms crossed. “I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

Gold sighed. “Think man! What injured woman would be able to put on a dress, or a corset for that matter?”

Beginning to get the point, Graham began to nod. And then he frowned and asked, “But what if she doesn’t show up?”

“Then we have proof!”

“How?”

“By having that lawyer David check the census.”

Graham wasn’t fully satisfied. “Say she does show up, how do we prove it’s her?”

Gold pinched the bridge of his nose, growing tired of Graham’s questions. “We’ll have the Doctor and some of your men check the ladies for their waists and see if any of them are tender in that area.”

When Gold saw Graham about to open his mouth again, the Colonel snapped, “What now?!”

“It’s just....how will we know who to invite? We don’t know if the Queen is an aristocrat or a commoner.”

“That is simple. We invite everyone.”

“Everyone?”

“Did I stutter by some chance? Yes, everyone.” Gold paced for a bit before adding, “To answer your other question, I’m quite certain the Queen must be a commoner. None of the ladies seem to be the type to care about the commoners, let alone dress up in that ridiculous get-up and have the skills to carry out like the Queen does. But since I can’t make a party without inviting the Dons and their wives, it’ll have to be a party for the entire town. I'll get the Doctor to check out the Dons' wives, lest I have them complaining to the courts for my impropriety.”

“I suppose you’re right. When will we be hosting this?”

“Tomorrow night. In fact, I am going to announce it right now.”

* * *

It didn’t take long for the word to spread after Gold’s speech. Whispers carried the message from the Town Square down the darkest of alleys, all the way to the outskirts of town as well as the Dons' mansions and haciendas.

Gold called it a way of apologizing for the mishap from the day before that led to the market sellers to be imprisoned as bait. He was inviting everyone, no matter their social standing, to put on their best clothes and to come for a party. He was sure to mention the lavish party would have even more lavish food, being prepared by all the finest cooks in town.

“You are not going,” Marian stated, setting down her tray of food.

Regina frowned, putting her book down on her lap. She was sitting in bed, recuperating. The official story was that Regina had come down with a bit of a cold, which is why she was bed-ridden. “I must go, Marian.”

“Absolutely not! Your wound looks garish, and dancing in a tight dress with a corset is the last thing you should be doing!” Marian harrumphed, bringing the plate of food to Regina.

“Then I won’t dance,” Regina countered with a pout. Marian didn’t budge, and instead gave Regina a withering glare, prompting her to add, “If everyone is invited, then it’ll be weird if I don’t go.”

Marian rolled her eyes. “Did you stop and think this might be a trap? Gold knows you are injured, and surely if you are wearing a dress, the wound will bleed out in front of his eyes! Everyone would believe if you said you were too sick to attend. You certainly look the part.”

Regina did look pale with all the blood loss, and for all of Marian’s techniques for patching wounds, she was certainly no doctor, and couldn’t say she had any experience taking care of bullet wounds. “Of course I guessed this could be a trap, which is why I must go. Look, I’ll wear the black dress with the shawl. We’ll go, mingle for a bit, show Gold I am healthy as a horse-”

“Yes, a dead horse,” Marian muttered under her breath.

“Very funny. We just have to appear there. No one is saying that I have to dance a tango with everyone’s eyes on me.”

“Be careful what you say, fate might find that humorous,” Marian cautioned.

“Nonetheless, once I start running out of strength, we leave, and no one is the wiser.”

After a few minutes more thinking, Marian relented. “Fine, but only if you go visit the Doctor the day after!”

“Deal.”

* * *

The night of the party had arrived and the town was full of excited chatter as everyone made their way towards the large garden behind the Town Hall where the party was being hosted. Musicians, dancers, cooks, it was truly a lavish event. Gold was really desperate to catch the Queen if this is all the stops he pulled to get this event ready in such short notice.

Nonetheless, Regina adjusted her shawl, taking care to walk carefully so she wouldn’t disturb the injury. Thankfully, her walk was already stiff enough on a regular basis, so she could feign that everything was okay.

Marian also helped to hide her rather sickly complexion by adding some makeup, and some rouge to her cheeks. To the discerning eye, she looked like her normal healthy self.

“Regina, you look lovely!” Zelena said, practically gliding towards her to envelop her in a hug. At least one person had fallen for the ruse.

Regina returned the hug, hiding her flinch as Zelena’s arms wrapped tightly. As she pulled away, she thought that would be the end of it, but she was sorely mistaken as Zelena whisked her away as Marian watched helplessly. Zelena’s maid, a shy woman named Mary Margaret, decided to make small talk, and Marian decided to indulge her as she watched Regina get escorted away.

“Now, this party is a perfect opportunity!” Zelena said gleefully, leading them to the buffet.

“For what?” Regina asked.

“For you to show off your skills!”

“My what?” Regina’s voice faltered. What was Zelena trying to imply? Could it be…?

As they walked up the mini steps to the tiny stage set up with food and drinks, Zelena turned around, dragging Regina with her, so they had a perfect vantage point of the party. She surveyed the scene. “Your skills! Your assets! You know, get you a man once and for all!”

Regina wasn’t sure if she should be relieved that Zelena was merely trying to be a matchmaker, or horrified that Zelena was trying to set her up with someone. And a man to boot.

Much to her short-lived luck, Gold decided to approach the center of the garden, and clink a spoon to his wine glass.

“Friends! Welcome to the party. I am so so glad that you are here. I am seeing so many friendly and familiar faces, and I am happy to see that you have all taken my apology in stride. The Queen of Swords has been a thorn on our sides for far too long, destroying our way of life and turning our humble little town into nothing more than a ridiculous side-show. But no more.

“You see, while this party is an apology, I also have an ulterior motive for hosting this.” He paused for effect, noting the murmurs, and he used the time to beckon the Captain to join him. “You see, the Queen was injured the other day, and I intend to find out who she is tonight. I would kindly ask all of the ladies and women to submit themselves in for a light inspection, just to prove you are not the Queen. After that, you are free to enjoy this remainder of this evening eating, drinking, and dancing to your heart’s content - or until all the food and wine is gone.”

He was the only one who laughed at his attempt at a joke, at first. The Captain then let out a full-bellied laugh, which clearly let everyone know they should laugh as well. Once the laughter died down, the Captain said, “Alright! All the women will be given a brief inspection over there by the door with my best men, and to all the ladies, please excuse us Dons, while we borrow them. Do not worry, the Doctor will be the one checking them out.”

As all the women made their way to their respective inspection stations. Regina brought up the rear of all of the other aristocratic ladies. Looking towards the commoner area, she found Marian was giving her a worried look.

“I swear, he probably sleep talks about her,” it was just Regina’s luck to have Zelena in front of her. “I truly don’t understand how he thinks he’s going to catch the Queen here.”

Another lady in front of her, Ursula, scoffed. “Or better yet, how he can think any of us would dress up in that ridiculous outfit.”

Zelena nodded, “Exactly. Besides, neither you nor I match the Queen in either complexion or hair-colour.”

Regina, not wanting to appear distracted as she thought up a plan, added, “Not to mention that all that sword-fighting is a frightening thing. I wouldn’t know the first thing to do.”

Both Zelena and Ursula nodded sagely.

Meanwhile, Emma was listening to the entire conversation and growing more annoyed by the second - it’s like the aristocrats had no volume control and just began to talk loudly not caring who overheard them. And then they had the audacity to wonder how gossip got around. But she had to agree with them. The mere possibility that any of them could be the Queen was ridiculous. Truly the mere thought of it made her chuckle.

“Something funny?” one of the ladies, Ursula, asked as she approached.

“Not at all. Please spread your arms out,” Emma instructed. She was almost done, and creating a scene was the last thought on her mind.

But for Regina, this was exactly the opening she needed. Boisterously, she said, “Really Zelena, I think after this is done, I will speak to the Colonel, I believe he is taking this a tad too far. Will you join me?”

“Oh yes. It’s one thing to do this with the commoners, but us? I am surprised our husbands are taking it in stride.”

Ursula, who was given the all-clear, said, “My husband is glaring daggers at the Colonel.”

Another lady who was lingering about, Ashley, agreed. “Sean is furious, I don’t think he took his eyes off for one second from me. No offense, Doctor.”

“None taken,” Emma grit her teeth as she responded, busying herself by checking out Zelena.

“But really,” Regina continued, “I must ask, Doctor, why did you agree to this?”

Emma snapped her head up just as she finished with Zelena and glared at Regina. “What makes you think I agreed to anything?”

Thankfully, the other ladies had rallied to surround Emma, meaning that Regina didn’t approach the Doctor.

“Because you’re doing this ridiculous inspection. Surely you don’t think any of us could be the Queen.”

Emma scoffed. “Honestly, Señorita, despite your looks making you a prime contender for being the Queen, I’d first consider literally anyone else here before you, that’s how unlikely I think you personally could be the Queen.”

Regina gave Emma a look of haughtiness. “I see. Well, are you going to check me?”

Waving her arm dismissively, Emma said, “I’m not going to bother. If you are the Queen, I will eat my ascot.”

As the danger was over, Regina took the opportunity to rake her eyes over Emma’s figure. She had opted for a dark blue suit, with a crisp vest, and a red ascot. “Then you have nothing to worry about.”

“Clearly,” Emma said, sauntering off.

With the check-up done, the other ladies marched over to the Colonel and began raising hell. The Dons also joined in, and pretty soon, Graham had to come in and pry the Colonel away from the mob. Regina had hung back, which allowed her to easily get away, and made her way back to the buffet. Marian was still waiting to be inspected, so Regina just grabbed some hors d’oeuvres and calmly watched everything happening in front of her.

“I would have thought you’d be first in line to berate the Colonel, after that little stunt you pulled.” Emma was standing beside her, holding a glass of what was probably champagne.

Regina shrugged. “To be honest I don’t feel all that well.”

“Then why come?” Emma asked.

“I don’t think I had any choice. It’s not really well-seen for a society woman to not go to a party.”

Emma hummed. “Of course. Why don’t you feel well?”

Cringing slightly, Regina had stupidly momentarily forgot that Emma was the town Doctor. Waving a hand, she said, “Nothing serious. You know me, sensitive to the sun.”

“You do know it’s night-time?” Emma countered with a smile, pointing to the clear starry night.

Regina nodded. “Of course Doctor. You might not think very highly of me, but I do know the difference between day and night.”

“Then there’s hope for you yet.”

Their banter was effortless, it was easy to forget everything going on around them, or even that her wound was hurting something ferocious.

Just at that moment, Marian showed up, and Regina excused herself. Emma left, the briefest of worried glances passing her way before she went back to the party.

“How-” Marian asked, wondering how Regina had managed to get away without any issues. She grabbed a little sandwich and began munching on it.

“Later, now can we make our graceful exit?” Regina said, adjusting her shawl. “I’m really in a lot of pain.”

Marian nodded, and together they made their way to the Colonel. He had finally been freed from the clutches of the aristocracy, and was currently readjusting his hair and his tie, only to find himself face to face with Regina.

“Señorita, if you’re here to-”

“Oh no, Colonel, I believe you already got enough of an earful. I just came to wish you a good night.”

The Colonel frowned worriedly. “Leaving so soon?”

Regina nodded. “I’m afraid so. Marian had a bad sandwich, and isn’t feeling really well.”

If there was one thing that Regina credited Marian for in her upbringing, was for her acting chops. Marian could feign a sickness quite easily.

Gold looked at Marian with a mix of confusion and disdain. “Oh my. Wouldn’t you rather I call the Doctor?”

The three of them looked towards Emma, who was speaking with a family. Regina shook her head. “I believe she’s had quite a night with us already. We’ll just take our leave and head home. I’m sure by tomorrow she’ll be fine.”

“You needn’t leave, Señorita-” Gold attempted to say, but Regina shot him down.

“I’m truly sorry to do this, Colonel, but I must. Please enjoy the rest of your night.”

Thankfully, he let them go, and once they were outside the town, Regina sighed and tried to make herself comfortable. A tall order considering their rickety cart and the pebbles that littered the dirt road.

“You are going to visit the Doctor tonight. You look a mess,” Marian said, sparing a brief glance towards her friend.

Regina let out a laugh. “I appreciate the candor.”

“I’m serious Regina. I did my best, but you need a professional to look at it.”

And so that’s what she did. She had Marian change the dressing on her wound, made a wardrobe change, and she made her way back into town with Rocinante. Thankfully, the party was still in full swing, and the streets were not being patrolled, which allowed her to get in undetected.

She watched as slowly people began to leave the lavish party from a nearby rooftop. Then, she saw Emma, walking with Henry, the latter who was excitedly telling his mother a story.

She made her way back down, biting her lip to stop herself from vocally expressing her pain. The damn idiot had actually managed to shoot her, and Marian was right, her wound was only getting worse. The night’s festivities hadn’t helped, and her wound was bleeding anew. Pulling out a rag, she held it to the wound, noting that it quickly turned red with her blood. She let out a breath, she only had to go for a little bit longer.

Without any issue, she sneaked in through the back-door, and noted with a smile that the door had been left unlocked. Emma really needed to get her doors properly locked.

“Good night Henry,” Emma was heard saying, before she made her way to the clinic.

Opening and closing the door, Emma turned on a gas lamp. Then she looked up and jumped as she saw the Queen standing by the wall.

“Good evening, Doctor,” the Queen greeted.

“You’re bleeding!” Emma rushed to the window where the Queen was standing, propped up against the wall, holding her side with a rag that was soaked in her blood.

“Thank you for noticing,” the Queen riposted.

Emma harrumphed. “This is no time for joking. “What happened?”

“I got shot, bullet hit my side, I escaped, and now I am standing before you, hoping you’ll patch me up.”

It took Emma a few seconds to understand exactly what was being asked of her. Then she shook her head. “No, I mean, I had heard what happened the other day, I mean why are you here now?”

“Let’s just say that tonight’s party was a bit harder to navigate, and my wound tore open again.”

Emma opened and closed her mouth, beginning to ask how the Queen had both managed to get away without anyone noticing her wound at the party, and who had patched her up, but she shook her head to focus.

“Okay, let’s get you somewhere comfortable. Come on.” Grabbing the gas lamp, Emma began leading them out of the clinic and towards the rest of the house.

The Queen paused. “You aren’t going to treat me at the clinic?”

Emma shook her head. “Gold and his men are convinced you are going to come here, so I took my kit to my room. Plus, if I did treat you at the clinic, you’d be boxed in, because they’d be guarding the back door, the front door, and the window only leads to the street, and they’d see you.”

“And your room is better because?”

“My room has a window that leads out to a narrow alleyway. I figure it’s a safer escape route.”

“Ah. Here I thought you were inviting me to your bed.”

Emma blushed a furious red, and kept silent. When they entered the room, Emma shut the door behind her, and instructed the Queen to lie down, placing a sheet on top of the covers in order to stop any blood from reaching the bedsheets.

The Queen did as asked, lying down on the side of the bed so her left side was easily accessible.

“Now, lift your shirt please,” Emma said, setting a stool down beside the bed and sitting down on it.

“Are you sure you’re not inviting me to your bed?” the Queen joked. “I’d expect a dinner first.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Emma said, before she got to work.

After a while, she was all patched up, with expertly done stitches, and feeling much better. The sheet had been discarded, leaving no trace that anything had happened.

Washing her hands at the basin by her bed stand, Emma said, “Now, I’d ask you to come back soon, so I can change your dressings and-”

A knock at the front door sounded, and Emma paled. “Just go out the window, and close it behind you if you can, I promise I won’t tell them you were here.”

“I trust you,” the Queen said, getting up from the bed, “Now go!”

Emma rushed off to get the door, and Regina glanced at the window, before deciding on another course of action.

“Colonel, Captain, what a surprise. Is everything alright?” Emma said, opening the door to see the two men outside.

Gold and Graham took that as an invitation to come in, and muscled their way past Emma’s slightly ajar door. “Did you manage to catch the Queen?”

“No, alas she somehow managed to elude our capture,” Gold said.

Graham nodded. “Unless she knew and somehow tricked us.”

“Tricked you?” Emma asked.

“Yes. We just wanted to see if maybe you hadn’t patched up the Queen and that's why she was able to attend the party undetected.”

Emma frowned at the accusation, hoping that she’d be able to hide her mortification. “You’re accusing me? Need I remind you that she threatened Henry? I’d never help her. Besides, your guys have been here throughout the night. How would she have gotten in here?”

“Yes, well, you won’t mind if we check your home?” Gold said as Graham began checking her clinic.

“I would mind, but I know that you’ll do it anyway. And, not that my opinion actually matters, but if you can let Henry sleep, that’d be great. He’s very tired and has school.”

Gold nodded. “We’ll try our best.”

When the only room remaining was Emma’s room, Graham pushed the door open, and promptly gasped audibly.

“What is it?” Gold asked, pushing past the Captain, and once he saw, he blinked to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. “Well then.”

Emma entered her own room, and she was sure she had somehow come through the wrong door.

Because there was no way that freaking _Regina Mills_ was lying _practically naked_ in her bed.

“Oh my!” Regina gasped, pulling the covers up to her chin. “This wasn’t really what I had in mind when I said I was adventurous in bed, Emma.”

The way that Regina said Emma’s name did things to her stomach, and below as well. She was glad that she was behind the two men, because otherwise one look at her incredulous face would give away the truth.

“Well señorita, now I know the true reason for your speedy exit,” Gold said with a grin. “I was beginning to worry there was a more sinister reason for your departure.”

Regina mock gasped. “Oh Colonel, the only thing I’m guilty of, is falling for the good Doctor.” Turning to an absolutely flummoxed Graham, she said, “I trust you understand why I wasn’t interested in having you court me?”

Graham could only wordlessly nod.

With a beam, Regina said, “Now, señores, if you don’t mind, Emma here was just about to show me how great her sexual prowess is.”

Emma was certain that she was going to faint then and there. This had to be a weird dream. Could it be she had inhaled some of the herbs she had bought the other day while she was cleaning?

“Right, we’re so sorry to have bothered, señorita,” Gold said. “Have a good night.”

Emma escorted them out of her house, everyone too shocked to say anything. Gold barely managed to cordially wish them good night before he left, taking the guards with him. Clearly he had enough sense to not want to scar his men with what they might hear come out of the Doctor’s bedroom.

As soon as they were out of sight, she rushed back to the room, figuring that it’d be empty, but nope, Regina was still there, just as she had left her. Closing the door behind her, Emma made her way closer, unsure of what to say.

“I hope you enjoy eating your ascot,” Regina said with a grin.

Emma felt her cheeks flush. “Okay but in my defense, you did not make it easy to guess it was you.”

“That’s kind of the point,” Regina pointed out.

“Fair enough.” Emma sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed. She couldn’t yet wrap her mind around the fact that the woman in front of her, the sophisticated aristocrat who Emma was ready to write off as a completely selfish and uncaring person, could be the one-woman revolution that she had come to admire, in more ways than one. 

“Though I think the other day you got pretty close to figuring it out,” Regina added, getting Emma to cock her head to the side a bit. “When Zelena mentioned my father dying by falling off his horse?”

“Ah, yes. To be honest, I wasn’t so sure, because you act and sound so different-” Emma noticed that she hadn’t registered that she wasn’t hearing the voice she often associated with the aristocrat, this higher and imperious voice that hinted at a borderline disdain for everything and everyone, but actually the voice of the Queen, more sultry and lower. “I like this voice better though.”

Regina smiled softly and nodded. “I do too. Well, it’s my natural voice. Despite the physical mask, I feel more like myself as the Queen, and less like myself when I have to pretend to be this aristocrat.”

Emma chuckled. “I can’t imagine it’s easy.”

Their conversation reached an impasse. On one hand, Emma wanted to ask a myriad of questions and get to know the true woman currently lying partially - at the very least - naked on her bed, but on the other hand, she could respect that Regina probably just wanted to go home.

Meanwhile, a very similar conflict was cropping up in Regina’s head. She didn’t want to leave Emma, but she knew she had put her in a precarious situation, what with her being half naked, save for her pants, inside Emma’s bed.

“I should leave.”

“Please don’t leave.”

They said it at the same time, and both let out a chuckle.

“You don’t mind my being here?” Regina asked, puzzled.

Emma shook her head. “Are you kidding me? I’m fascinated with-”

Regina watched as Emma blushed and balked. “Yes?”

“I mean, you- you’re fighting for a very noble cause,” she settled with, much to Emma’s own chagrin.

“Is that it?” Regina asked, leaning forward to grab Emma by her ascot and pull her closer. 

“N-no?” Emma tried, swallowing a lump in her throat.

Regina smirked and let out a small chuckle. “Want to try that again?”

Emma nodded. “I’m fascinated with you. I want to know more about you and get lost in you and just-”

“Yes?” Regina prompted once again, feeling a rush from Emma’s words.

“I want to kiss you so badly right now,” Emma murmured, their lips already mere inches apart.

“Then kiss me,” Regina said, before her lips were captured in a kiss with Emma.

It started energetic, almost like Emma wasn’t sure that she wasn’t just dreaming, or worried that Regina would change her mind, but then grew languid, with Regina lying back down while Emma straddled Regina’s hips, their lips barely breaking contact, only to breathe.

When they finally did manage to stop kissing, Emma collapsed onto the bed beside Regina, and she let out a soft laugh. “I can’t believe you’re half-naked dressed as the Queen of Swords in my own bed, and here I am in my finest regalia.”

“Well, you could get undressed,” Regina suggested.

Emma didn’t need to be told twice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the truth is out! How about it?


	9. Revolution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now let's get to the action part!

The next morning found Regina and Emma lying in bed languishly enjoying the other’s company, trading kisses and letting their hands wander.

Emma then looked at the clock and groaned. “I should get ready and get Henry’s breakfast ready.”

Regina hummed. “And I should take my leave...Rocinante is still hiding in the alleyway, and I’m worried someone might see him.”

They were silent as they got dressed, Emma in fresh clothes, while Regina put on her vigilante outfit. 

Sneaking a glance to look at Regina getting ready, Emma had to ask, “You’re really putting on your bloodied Queen costume now?”

Regina finished buttoning her shirt and turned around to face Emma. “It’s just to get me back home, it would look suspicious if people saw me, the aristocrat, riding on horseback, with the Queen’s horse to boot.”

“I supposed. What if someone sees you?”

“I’ll be careful, I won’t let anyone see me leaving here,” Regina responded, grabbing her mask from where she had hidden it under the bed.

“No, I’m not worried about that. It’s just, I don’t want you getting hurt.”

With a soft smile, Regina walked back up to stand in front of Emma, before softly capturing the other woman’s lips with her own in a sweet and tender kiss. It was short, but nonetheless pleasing for both women. When they broke apart, Regina said, “I can take care of myself.”

Emma chuckled. “I know, I have seen you in action. But may I remind you that you are currently sporting a nasty gunshot wound?”

“Oh yes, how could I forget. Look, if you’re so worried, why don’t you come check up on me later?”

Nodding, Emma wrapped her arms around Regina’s neck. “I’d love to. How about I come over mid-afternoon?”

“Rather,” Regina began, “How about tonight?”

“Tonight?”

“Yes. And you can bring Henry. We can all have dinner together, how does that sound?”

Emma beamed. “That sounds lovely.”

“Fantastic.” Giving Emma one more kiss, Regina ducked under from Emma’s hold, and put her mask back in place. “See you tonight.”

“I can’t wait,” Emma breathed, finding that seeing Regina transform into the Queen before her eyes was nothing short of magical. The wink that Regina threw at her before she climbed out the window certainly didn’t help Emma’s breathlessness.

She shook her head, willing herself to focus on the tasks she had to do for the day. But try as she might, she would just get butterflies in the pit of her stomach every time her thoughts would wander to Regina. Which happened so frequently she might as well rename her stomach a lepidopterarium. She sighed. She was acting like a young girl again. 

Though, she did have good reason. This was the first time she actually felt content in someone else’s arms, and she’s already gone through the turmoil of discovering her attraction to the same sex years ago, so truly, she didn’t know why she was admonishing herself for. Perhaps it was because her attraction was to a woman who was currently doing the dangerous task of trying to topple the Colonel’s reign? That might do it.

But she would stay positive. Things would work out. She was sure of it.

* * *

While Emma and Henry rode over to Regina’s place, Henry was beside himself with excitement, getting to eat dinner with new people, and she smiled softly. His excitement was contagious, and she fed into it by telling him more about Regina. Obviously, she didn’t mention the big secret. It was not hers to tell, and she wasn’t sure how well Henry would be able to keep the secret.

Soon enough, they arrived. They were greeted by a groomsman, who promised to feed and take care of her horses. She thanked the man and once they got to the door, Marian was waiting for them, all smiles.

“Welcome!” she said, and then she knelt before Henry. “And hello again to you! Are you ready to eat?”

“Yes ma’am!” Henry squeaked, excited.

“Good! Now come in, come in,” Marian said, ushering them inside.

In addition to the regular silk shirt and red vest, Emma had added a burgundy suit jacket - one of the few that she had, as Emma was generally not a fan of jackets. She supposed that maybe she wanted to impress Regina, because despite everything, the woman was still an aristocrat.

Marian informed her that she could wait in the parlour for Regina while she took Henry to check out the kitchen, the latter who was very excited at the prospect.

As Emma waited, she looked at all of the knick-knacks around the room, impressed with some of the craftsmanship.

Suddenly, she heard a voice ask, “See something you like?”

Emma practically jumped out of her skin at that, having not heard Regina approach. “Give me a warning next time,” Emma said, startled.

Regina merely smirked, approaching the blonde. “That was the warning. I could have just sneaked up behind you and tapped you on the shoulder.”

“Very funny,” Emma said, leaning back against the wooden cabinet, taking a look at Regina’s deep blue dress. It was less intricate than the one she had worn to the ball, but still seemed like it was much fancier than anything Emma could ever hope to own. “You look amazing.”

“As do you,” Regina said, stopping just a few inches from having their toes touching. She looked around the room and frowned. “Didn’t Henry come with you?”

Emma chuckled. “He did, Marian took him to the kitchen. I’ve never seen him so excited to eat dinner.”

“He’s not the only one,” Regina agreed with a smile.

Returning the smile in kind, Emma reached forward to wrap her arms around Regina’s waist, pulling them closer together.

With a small yelp, Regina splayed her hands over Emma’s chest to steady herself. “How bold of you.”

Not understanding that it was in jest, Emma immediately slackened her hold and rushed to apologize. “I’m sorry, I thought-”

Regina cut her off with a small kiss, sliding her hands up so her arms draped over Emma’s shoulders. Emma eagerly returned the kiss, letting out a content hum.

Someone cleared their throat, getting the two of them to shoot back like they were schoolchildren who had been caught doing something they shouldn’t have.

“Oh don’t mind me,” Marian snarked from the other side of the room, arms crossed. “By all means continue kissing the night away, I just wanted to inform you dinner was ready, and if you’re hungry, whether you’d like to join us?”

Emma and Regina looked at one another, cheeks blushing a furious red. Joining hands, they joined Marian and Henry for dinner.

During dinner, Marian keenly watched everything. The pride and happiness she felt immeasurable. She saw how much lighter Regina felt with Emma around, being herself rather than the ridiculously frivolous aristocrat or the brooding vigilante, and she saw how Emma was enjoying every moment that Regina looked at her, lips curling into a wider smile every time she caught Regina looking at her.

Henry was also having a ball of his own, talking and babbling as if there weren’t enough minutes in a day to tell Regina everything that he wanted to share, excitedly wanting to share with Regina all that he had seen within the past few days as if they were old friends.

It gave Marian hope for the future. Perhaps this would all work out for the best, and soon enough, life would go back to normal, without needing to worry about Regina getting mortally wounded, nor that the town would get even worse with Gold’s crazy machinations.

Soon enough, it was time to call it a night. Henry had long passed out on the large couch while the three women drank some tea. 

“I should probably be heading back,” Emma said with a deep sigh once the tea had finished, watching as Marian gathered everything to take back to the kitchen.

Regina surveyed Henry’s sleeping form, as well as Emma’s relaxed posture sitting beside her son. She was slouched against the sofa, eyes half closed, and Regina asked, “Why don’t you two stay here?”

Emma blinked at that, as if she hadn’t heard properly. 

Knowing she was being asked to clarify, Regina said, “It’s late, and dark out.”

“It usually is at night,” Emma quipped.

Regina rolled her eyes, a grin pulling at her lips. “I was going to also add that you looked tired, but clearly not tired enough to not snark.”

Emma hummed, “It just comes naturally.”

“I’m sure it does. Nonetheless, if you’d like to stay over, you can. We have a spare room and blankets for Henry, so he can sleep comfortably.”

“That sounds perfect. But where would I sleep? The couch?” Emma asked with a soft smile.

Regina once more rolled her eyes. “No, of course not. I was wondering...if it wasn’t too forward of me, if you’d like to spend the night together? I know we technically did do so the night before, but if you don’t want to, we don’t have to, we have other rooms, unless you’d prefer the couch?”

Emma wordlessly stood up to just walk a few steps and sink into the couch that Regina was sitting on. Regina was sure her brain had stopped working as Emma cuddled next to her. “Hmm, forget I said anything. I’d love to stay here with you tonight and spend the night with you.”

With those words, Regina was sure Emma was going to be the end of her.

* * *

When Emma woke up, it took her a second to remember exactly where she was and how she got there. Once she saw Regina’s seemingly sleeping form beside her, facing her, she broke into a grin and sighed contentedly. This was something out of a dream.

But infinitely better, because Emma knew this was real. She was really in bed with Regina, and they really had spent the night together, in more ways than one, and she had never felt better.

“You know,” Regina began, not moving or opening her eyes, “If you keep staring at me so much, I’ll grow worried you’ll bore holes into me.”

Emma grinned, scooting over to Regina’s not-so-sleeping form. “And that would be a pity if I did.”

Regina’s eyes blinked open and she gave Emma a faint smile. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Emma echoed, leaning forward a bit more to capture Regina’s lips in a kiss.

When they parted, Regina gave a content sigh. “You must really like me if you’re willing to kiss me so early before I’ve had the chance to freshen up.”

“Likewise.” Emma moved to brush some of Regina’s hair away from her face. “Though you have the advantage that you look naturally gorgeous even after you’ve just woken up.”

Regina let out a peal of laughter. “I take it you haven’t looked at yourself in the mirror just after waking up then?”

They continued teasing each other for a few minutes more, until Regina was straddling Emma on the bed. They shared another kiss, and when they parted, they shared a smile.

Soon enough, their stomachs were calling for food, and they made their way to the kitchen, where things were already in motion. Even Henry was up, having the time of his life watching as the cooks worked to prepare the food with a skill that could almost be considered magic in his eyes.

Thankfully, it was the weekend, so Emma didn’t have anywhere to be. Her clinic was closed, to give her a break from all the small pains and aches.

“I mean, it’s like half of the people have never been outside the way they act,” Emma was fond of commenting.

The lazy day meant that Emma and Regina were free to walk and talk among the newly reinvigorated gardens, while Henry explored the house.

“So, what’s the plan?” Emma eventually asked after a few minutes of silence.

“Plan?” Regina repeated, confused.

“With Gold and everything, you know….” she wasn’t sure how much the staff around the house knew, but she didn’t want to take chances.

Thankfully, there was no one around, so Regina simply said, “Honestly, I’ve somewhat run dry of ideas. The day before he gathered the people, I had snuck into his office trying to find proof, and found nothing. I have no idea what I’m even looking for, but if there was any evidence, or a paper trail, then-”

Emma was thoughtful for a few moments. “The idea I’ve gotten so far is that Gold is cunning and ruthless, but he’s not exactly a genius.”

Regina readily agreed with that statement. “What are you thinking?”

“Gold wouldn’t be dumb enough to keep the papers of any crime he’s been involved in on him. He’d keep it somewhere that he knew would be safe, and far away that no one would readily search for.”

“That is assuming that he’s kept any of said paperwork,” Regina muttered dismissively. “How do we know that he hasn’t burnt everything by now?”

“Well, from what I understand, Gold is keen on extortion and blackmail. It wouldn’t do him any good if he didn’t have any hard evidence to back him up.”

Regina had to admit that that was true, but she was still skeptical. “Okay, suppose that is all true. If you were Gold, where would you hide the papers?”

“In David’s office,” Emma answered, a little too quickly for it to be just a random theory. Emma knew something.

And Regina gave her a look to question just that.

“I may have found myself at Gold’s office a few times to see him tell Graham to play delivery boy with a box of papers,” Emma admitted. “I didn’t know what the box contained, but with what you’re saying, I’d bet easy money that’s where we‘d find the incriminating evidence.”

Regina hummed. “That sounds promising, but how would we get to it? I don’t suppose he’d just hand it over, nor would David.”

Emma thought for a few moments. “Okay, how about this. The Captain has to go by my place in order to get from Town Hall to David’s. Once we see him, one of us intercepts and distracts him, while someone else goes to David’s. There, we pretend to be doing some paperwork, see where they stash the papers. Then, at night, you can do your thing and get the paperwork. Easy.”

“If only it were that easy,” Regina mused, giving Emma a wide grin. “But very well, let’s see if we can’t make it work.”

“Perfect.”

* * *

It would be Monday when they were able to put their plan in motion. Regina and Emma were patiently watching the window, diligently trying to see if they could catch a glimpse of the Captain.

Well, they were trying to be diligent. Unfortunately, with Emma’s wandering hands and Regina’s wandering lips, it was a miracle they weren’t fully making out by the window; thankfully the curtains were drawn closed, and they could avoid any curious and nosy passersby from catching wind of their activities.

With everything going on, both Regina and Emma decided to keep their relationship private - not only for their own sake as well as their loved ones’, but also because they didn’t want anyone making any connections and possibly figuring out that Regina was the Queen, and ruining their plans.

“While I love your kisses...” Emma began, letting a moan fall from her lips, as she sneaked a glance through the windows. Regina only hummed, continuing to plant kisses in the crook of Emma’s neck. Emma powered through to finish her sentence. “But I see Humbert approaching.”

Groaning, Regina readjusted herself from where Emma’s hands had mussed up her hair and dress. She stood up and approached a mirror in the clinic, making sure she looked presentable. They had about 10 minutes before the Captain would make his way in, or so they figured after timing it the day before.

Finding herself adequately dressed, Regina nodded once and turned back around to find Emma attentively raking her eyes over Regina’s form. “Going to miss me?”

Opening and closing her mouth, Emma could only nod, much to her own embarrassment.

But Regina found nothing embarrassing about Emma’s admission, sauntering up to the other woman and planting a kiss on her cheek. “It won’t be for long, and I’ll miss you just as much.”

It was the right thing to say, because Emma’s smile at that made Regina’s heart flutter. 

Hooking a finger under Emma’s chin, she brought the other woman’s lips towards her and softly kissed Emma.

Emma, for her part, felt that she was about to keel over at any moment from happiness. She would have never imagined this, in her wildest dreams, and she didn’t want it to end.

But alas, they had to get moving before the Captain actually made his way into David’s office. With a last forlorn look, Regina and Emma parted ways, with Regina going to catch up to Graham, while Emma went towards David’s office via a shortcut she knew.

“Captain! I’m so glad I caught you!”

There he was, holding the box by its handles, no doubt containing the documents he didn’t want anyone else to see.

“Señorita, to what do I owe the pleasure?” His tone left no doubt that pleasure was the last thing he was feeling.

Regina plowed on by saying, “I’m glad you asked! I just wanted to ah...clarify things a bit, after all, when we last saw each other I was a bit-”

“Yes!” Graham interjected, a bit too loudly and quickly. People were turning to stare at him, and he cleared his throat, adjusting his stance. More quietly, he continued to say, “Yes, I recall our last meeting, a tad too vivigly for my tastes, what of it?”

“Well, I just don’t want you to feel bad…”

Meanwhile, Emma had arrived at David’s office, and thankfully, he wasn’t busy. She smiled as she walked into his office. It wasn’t the most organized place in the world - truly, Emma had imagined that David would be a neat and tidy person, but the office was a pigsty in comparison to Emma’s clinic - but David had a system to his madness, and that’s the only thing he was concerned with.

“Doctor Swan, how can I help you?” David asked, smiling.

Emma hoped that David wasn’t complicit in Gold’s nefarious schemes, because he was actually one of the good people that Emma had met from Gold’s circle, or as close as one could get to Gold. “I wanted to talk about a will.”

David nodded slowly, a brief expression of confusion crossing his features. “A will? What led you to consider such a thing?”

With a shrug, Emma just said, “Oh you know, it’s one of those things that you wake up one day and think it might be good to do?”

Nodding sagely, David took out some paperwork, and was in the midst of explaining how things would go, when Graham burst in, breathless, eye twitching, and looking much worse for wear, unceremoniously letting the box clatter to the floor at his feet.

Emma had a brief moment of panic that Regina might have gone a bit overboard with her technique in frazzling the Captain, but she honestly did not care about the Captain to be bothered by him.

“Captain, are you alright? You look like you were ran over by a cart..” David asked.

Graham's huff in response and his attempt to readjust him coat and readjust his hair left no doubt in either David or Emma’s mind that he had indeed been run over by a cart. Emma was trying very hard to not burst out laughing, and made a mental note to have Regina give her an exact retelling as to how she achieved such a thing.

Emma cleared her throat. “If you want me to look you over, we can go to my clinic-”

Seemingly realizing that Emma was there, the Captain jumped, startled, before picking the box up again. “That won’t be necessary, I’m just here to drop these off.”

He walked to deposit the box onto David’s desk with little flourish, or consideration for the myriad of papers already cluttering the desk. The dull thump and subsequent stray papers that flew off the desk from the force of the box’s landing were the only noise to break the very awkward silence that Graham’s intrusion had brought.

David nodded, standing up to grab the box. Wordlessly, Graham began to leave, but David frowned and asked, “Aren’t you going to stay to see them filed?”

“I trust you’ll be able to see to it,” Graham said without so much as a glance behind him.

Once he was gone, David sighed. “I’m not sure what got into him.”

Emma shrugged. “A mystery, I’m sure.”

She watched as David hauled the box towards a tower of filing cabinets and began trying to maneuver holding the box propped against the tower with his body, while also fishing his keys. He managed to get the keys, but getting the right key in the keyhole was another problem.

After a few fumbles, Emma asked, “Can I help you with that?”

David gave her a grateful smile. “Please.”

Emma took the keys from him, and after David told her which one was the correct one, she opened the cabinet and David opened the box and inserted the papers inside.

“Is this entire drawer just for the Captain’s stuff?” Emma asked nonchalantly.

David hummed. “Yes, well, it’s actually the Colonel’s, but quite frankly I don’t look at what’s in them. I learnt a long time ago that in this town, keeping your head down is the smartest thing you can do.”

Emma made a nose of agreement. “That’s fair. At least they trust you to not look.”

“Hardly,” David countered with a scoff. “Generally I just open the cabinet and the Captain inserts the paperwork. This is the first time he has let me do this by myself.”

“Perhaps he’s trusting you more?” Emma ventured a guess.

Neither he nor Emma truly believed that. In fact, the latter knew that wasn’t the case. It had been Regina’s entire plan. And she had been successful thus far.

* * *

The next step, of course, was to actually rob the paperwork. And it was a task easier said than done.

Regina had a few problems to deal with. First, she needed to break into David’s office, but carefully enough that no one would notice that she had broken in. She also had to consider that she needed to somehow remove the paperwork without leaving any trace behind. And for that, she had to plant fake piles of paper.

But she had to try. And she couldn’t do it alone, or rather, Emma and Marian wouldn’t let her. So, once again, Marian drove her cart - with Regina dressed as the Queen and hidden from sight - into town. She drove the cart towards the back door of the Doctor’s clinic, and while Marian made her way to the house to keep an eye on Henry, Emma made her way out. She had forgone her usual vests that left Regina looking intently on more than five occasions, and instead settled with a dark brown pants and a navy blue cotton shirt. She was carrying her own banker’s box full of papers.

“There aren’t any papers that can be linked back to you, right?” Regina asked as she saw Emma.

Emma shook her head. “Not unless they can find out that these are all featuring Henry’s drawings.”

“Dare I even ask?” Regina glanced at her for a moment before she started walking towards David’s office.

“Just a bunch of Henry’s old drawings. I had kept them at the time for sentimental reasons - but he considers himself an artist and something of a storyteller, and refuses to have me keep these older ones. So here I am.”

Regina flashed a smile. They quietly made their way through the shadows to their destination. Taking the box from Emma, Regina waited as Emma took out her lockpicks.

“So how did you end up learning to lockpick?” Regina asked, keeping an eye out. The streets were deserted, so they weren’t in any danger, but being cautious was something that Regina took very care with.

“It’s a long story,” Emma said, more focused on the task at hand.

Regina didn’t press, figuring that if Emma wanted to tell her, she would.

Once the door was unlocked, Emma stood back up and glanced at Regina. “I’ll tell you if you tell me what you did earlier today to get Humbert so worked up.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell you about it later. Can we just do this and get out of here? I’m afraid of what might happen if someone catches us and recognizes you.”

“We won’t get caught,” Emma said as she walked towards David’s office. Thankfully, David didn’t live in the building, so they didn’t have to worry about anyone inside.

“I still don’t understand why you didn’t wear a mask or something. Even a bandana would have worked.”

David’s office door was unlocked, which meant that only the filing cabinet remained. Easy. As Emma got to work, she said, “Frankly I’d always associated masks with bandits and outlaws-”

“I have some news for you about what I do and what people call me,” Regina dryly interjected.

“I know, I know,” Emma said with a chuckle. “I just feel that if I put it on, I’ll end up making it a habit and-”

“And you don’t want Henry to be dragged into this in any way,” Regina finished the sentence when words failed Emma. She placed a hand on Emma’s shoulder. “It’s quite alright, I understand. I just want you to be safe.”

“I do, with you I definitely do.” Finding the mood to be somber, Emma added, “Besides, what would I even call myself? Lockpick Queen? Lock Doc?”

Regina cringed. “Fair enough, I’ll do the bulk of the vigilante work.”

“Deal.”

Once the cabinet was open, they looked through the paperwork. There were hundreds of pieces of paper, detailing shady dealings, deed transfers, and-

Regina’s hands shook. Her father’s death report. The writing wasn’t the neatest, but she knew what she was reading. Enough for her to let out a choked sob and drop to her knees.

Seeing that, Emma rushed to Regina’s side and held her as she wept. “Hey, we’ll get justice for him.”

“I know, I just miss him so much,” Regina said between quiet sobs.

“I know you do, let’s finish this and we can go.”

With a nod, Regina let Emma help her stand back up. Emma gave Regina a brief kiss before they resumed their activities. Before long, they had wrapped up. They had left a few papers that they deemed inconsequential, which worked for them because they could leave those papers at the top, and no one would be the wiser that the papers at the bottom were just childish scribbles.

Taking as much care as they could, they left the office, certain they had left everything exactly as it was.

They made their way back to Emma’s place, and loaded up the box onto the cart. Once they were done, they shared a look, and Regina wasted no time in pulling Emma towards her and kissing her soundly.

Emma eagerly returned the kiss, until once more, Marian showed up.

“Somehow I always find myself coming across the two of you kissing,” Marian playfully commented. “I trust that you actually went and haven’t been standing here the entire time?”

Of course, she knew they had left, she had seen them, but she still enjoyed riling Regina up, even if her cheeks were mostly covered with the fabric of her mask and therefore hid the blush she was sporting.

Emma chuckled. “We were responsible. Felonies first, making out second.”

“Good, are we all set?” Marian asked, clearly conveying a certain sense of urgency. It wasn’t that she wanted to stop the other two women from making out, but as Regina was currently in full regalia as the Queen, if any curious eyes caught them, this would be all over. They needed to be vigilant and cautious.

Thankfully, Regina and Emma had enough sense to understand Marian’s concern and they immediately stepped back, nodding once.

“We best leave,” Regina said, giving Emma a quick kiss on the cheek and a soft squeeze of the hand she was holding.

Emma grinned. “Until tomorrow then?”

“Yes, you’ll be joining us for dinner?” Regina confirmed, climbing onto the cart next to the box and grabbing the tarp that she hid under on the ride there.

“Henry and I wouldn’t miss it. Have a safe trip back.”

As Emma watched Marian ride the cart away with Regina hidden, her heart finally rested calmly once again and she smiled. She was head over heels with Regina.

* * *

Dinner was a much more brief affair than the last time, because they had work to do. Marian had convinced one of the other maids to watch over Henry as she, along with Regina, showed Emma the hideout that they were using.

“And this is just hiding under the house?” Emma asked, her disbelief echoing around the chamber.

“Well, we are a small distance away, but yes,” Regina said. She had taken the time to explain who her father had been, which had elicited a very loud gasp from her lover.

“This is beyond amazing - Henry would have a field day,” Emma said, looking around. She obviously would tell Henry nothing, wishing to protect him, but she knew he would be absolutely ecstatic at the idea. Maybe one day once this was all over.

They had set the box down on a table, and Regina had already spent much of the day looking over the paperwork they had stolen and organizing it into categories. The three of them came together to figure out a plan, and it had to be flawless. Any fault or shortcoming could undermine everything they wanted to do. They only had one chance at this.

In her research, Regina wound up finding the mining operation that Gold was spearheading. They had a map and everything. He was hunting for gold, ironically enough considering his name.

“It’s very close to here,” Marian remarked.

Regina hummed, and traced her finger to where the Mills villa was. “This would explain why Gold was so interested in the land, and in having Graham court me.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Emma asked, head snapping up.

They gave Emma a brief rundown of what they had managed to surmise from the Captain’s intentions, and savagely, Emma figured that Graham got just what he deserved the day before, getting run over. Well, maybe running him over twice would do the trick even better.

After that brief interlude, they were no closer to an idea than they were when they first arrived at the cave.

“Look, we know we need to get these papers to the Spanish courts,” Emma said, gesturing to the table laden with papers.

“Right, but only the most important ones,” Regina added. “We don’t want to give them all of our proof and then it turns out that it got hijacked or something.”

Marian nodded. “And we must do something while they get the paperwork and come in to kick him out.”

Emma frowned. “Wouldn’t the proof be enough?”

Both Regina and Marian shook their heads.

“No,” Regina began. “It’s why I’ve been such a pain for the past few months. I need to dwindle his numbers. The less of an army he has, the more defenseless he is against the courts. Otherwise he won’t hesitate to kill whoever comes to remove him from power, and then claim no one arrived. We know he’s capable of that.”

Marian was pensive, looking at the enormous empire Gold had. “But it’s all very flimsy. You saw what happens when the Queen strikes. His men get petrified and leave. We need to do that, but make it last. That way he’s left without anyone, and anyone that he wants to hire won’t want to come here.”

“Right, but how do we do that? I can strike fear into them, but not that much,” Regina noted.

Emma was also quick to add, “And I will remind you that you’ve still got your bullet wound, so as your doctor, I am forbidding you from going all Queen on their asses.”

Regina scoffed. “I beg your pardon, I was perfectly fine to steal these things yesterday, wasn’t I?”

Marian just watched the two women with amusement. Young love.

“Yes, but you weren’t exactly fighting anyone. Just carrying a box.”

“Well I have to be the one, I certainly won’t let either you or Marian risk yourselves like that.”

At that, Marian got an idea. “Perhaps, we need to appeal to their fears.”

The couple turned to look at Marian, curious.

“California is filled with urban legends. Adopting one of them should be easy for us. We use one of them, use it to drive away Gold’s guards, all the while preventing Regina from getting hurt.”

That made Emma excited. “Right! And we can start with this mine. From a report here, he has a good number of them there. It’s his hidden base. We go there, we can get rid of a good number of his lackeys.”

“And free the people there!” Regina added. “But what urban legend can we use?”

“I might have an idea,” Marian said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

* * *

Raoul wasn’t a bad man. He had always kept to himself, had his head down. But somehow, somewhere, he had upset someone badly enough that he landed in this perpetual hellhole, or so the locals called it.

Mining day in and day out was a tedious task, more so considering the conditions, and the long hours. The guards barely fed them anything, instead just barked orders at everyone and pushed Raoul and his friends around, getting them to drop things and mess up on their job. Which only got them in more trouble. The place was crawling with guards at all times, making him feel watched at all times. And don't even get him started on the sleeping arrangements. He was thankful that it didn't rain very often, otherwise his measly cot out in the cold night air would be even worse for him.

There was no end in sight to his misery, and as he sat around the fire trying to stomach eating the gruel in front of him, he wondered how much he had to lose by just booking it out of there right at that moment.

He sighed and looked up to the sky. The stars twinkled back at him, and he wondered if he would get an answer to his prayer.

Suddenly, a horse neighed loudly, echoing all over the canyon that held the cave and their prison. The camp grew silent.

“What was that?” a guard nearby stood up and picked up his musket, glancing around. There was a wolf that howled, and soon enough, everyone was looking all around them.

“There!”

At the top of the canyon, three shadowy figures appeared. Raoul gaped.

“Son los vigilantes oscuros!” someone exclaimed, before beginning to pray.

“The what?” a guard asked, clearly not understanding a lick of Spanish.

Another man struggled to explain.

Raoul offered, “The dark watchers?”

“What watchers? What do they want?” a guard farther away asked, fear coming through in his voice. He was gripping his gun tighter in his hands.

“They watch, no one knows if they do anything,” Raoul said with a shrug. He’d heard about them, with their wide-brimmed hats and long walking sticks. The figures high above him looked just like that. Except for the one in the middle, who wore a hood instead of a hat, and had no stick.

“Ha! My friend told me that they’re not innocent!” Raoul’s only friend, an old man named Antonio, shook his head. “He told me that he was just minding his own business, but his friend decided to taunt them. The next day, his friend was dead!”

A hush fell through the camp. They all looked towards the figures, still standing just as they had been. But they were all cowering a bit more. Even the guards were losing some of their bravado.

But, the vigilantes did nothing. When Raoul went to sleep an hour later, they were still there.

For the next three days, the vigilantes were staples of their nights. Standing, not doing anything.

On the third night, one of the guards got antsy and just aimed his weapon at one of the towering figures, the one without the hat.

He missed, obviously, but the figure then moved, and in the silence, they heard a sword being unsheathed. Faster than anyone thought was possible, the figure slid down the slope of the canyon, raising a cloud of dust in their wake, the rumbling of disturbed rocks bringing a sense of dread to the men.

Soon enough, the figure, clad in all black with a billowing cloak trailing behind, a hood obscuring their face, and took on the 10 guards with ease. More guards tried to rush, but they were all easily taken down.

Once all the guards were disposed of, the figure didn’t even look towards them, instead just threw something in the ground that soon enough filled the canyon of smoke. By the time the smoke had dissipated, the figure was gone, as were the other two figures at the top of the canyon.

After a few moments of stunned silence, Raoul and the rest of the men realized that they were essentially free! There was no one guarding them, and they would free everyone else in that canyon prison.

Grabbing the weapons from the unconscious guards, a few men wisely suggested to also tie up the unconscious guards, to be on the safe side. Soon enough, they were rushing the remaining dining camps, filling the canyon with the clash of swords.

* * *

Gold’s left eyelid was actually noticeably twitching, and Graham was of half a mind to ask him if he should leave and come back later. It was the middle of the night, and he interrupted the Colonel’s sleep to inform him of what had just happened.

“I am going to ask you to repeat what you just told me, in the hopes I just hallucinated the entirety of the nonsense you just sprouted,” Gold said, enunciating his words slowly, as if he wasn’t at the tipping point of madness.

Graham readjusted his stance, hooking his thumbs on the front of his belt. “I uh, did say all of those things, sir. The majority of the army has deserted because they saw these night watch things, and the prisoners all broke out, meaning the mine is currently unattended.”

Gold’s answer was to let out a guttural yell and sweep his arm across his desk, scattering the myriad of things on the surface. Papers flew everywhere and an intricate desk clock tumbled to the ground, springs comically flying out. Organizing drawers were also scattered, the force of his moves denting and shattering everything.

But he wasn’t done yet, grabbing a painting that hung framed on his wall. It showed the California coast, and was soon flying to meet Graham's face. It was only by grace of luck that he managed to duck before he received a mouthful of turpentine.

“Urban legends aren’t real, Captain!” Gold bellowed, chest huffing.

Graham nodded once. “Yes, I know, but-”

“But nothing! Don’t you see? This is the Queen’s doing!” Gold looked wild, his hair having come undone from the ponytail, eyes wide and nose flared. “She’s taunting us! Scaring my men by putting on that ridiculous getup!”

“Right but-”

“I won’t let this stand! Gather the remaining men, how many do we have?”

Graham shuffled uneasily. “That’s what I hadn’t gotten the chance to tell you. I only have 25 men that remained, and most of them are scared shitless.”

That really did not help Gold’s mood, and he he looked like he was about to pull out a revolver and commit murder. Thankfully, he stayed his hand. “I won’t let her get away with this. We have to do something.”

“Like what? The people love her, and if they find out that she’s the one who freed all those men, they’ll practically bow down before her. And it’s not like I have the manpower to intimidate them?”

Gold finally seemed to calm down, at least physically. His mind was still working overtime, trying to come up with some nefarious plan. “I have an idea. How long until we can get more men?”

“I have sent out a scout to get more earlier, I’m hoping no more than a week’s time.”

“Good. Meanwhile, let’s see if we can’t sully Her Majesty’s name…”

* * *

“If you hold still, this will hurt less,” Emma was saying, holding up a rag, cleaning Regina’s wound. They were back at the villa, and Marian had retired for the night, they knew she would have an even longer day tomorrow, while Emma was checking out Regna’s state after having fought off the guards.

“I am trying to hold still,” Regina countered with a pout, before letting out another hiss. “Okay that one you did on purpose!”

Emma scoffed. “It would serve you right! You shouldn’t have gone down there to fight! The main reason we dressed up in those other costumes was so that you wouldn’t have to fight!”

“He shot at me!” Regina tried to counter.

“And missed!” Emma was ready with her own opinion on the matter.

Not one to be outdone, Regina harrumphed and muttered, “I won, didn’t I?”

“You did,” Emma conceded, putting the rag down and leaning in closer to Regina. “But you can’t get cocky. You- I....”

“Hey,” Regina started, sitting up straighter and cupping Emma’s cheeks in her hands as she leaned in closer. “I’m being careful. I won’t be pulling any stunts or doing anything that might endanger me, you, or even Henry. I want to be able to walk away once this is over, and create a life for myself, free from a vendetta of justice. And I want you and Henry in it.”

Emma gave a watery smile, unshed tears threatening to spill. “I’d like that very much.”

They simultaneously closed the distance between each other with a soft kiss.

Although they wanted to take it further and keep going, it was late, and their nocturnal activities had tired them. Plus, they knew that by tomorrow, this would get out to Gold, and he would retaliate.

And they would be ready.

That night, while everyone else slept, Graham and his remaining cronies did as much damage as they could. They destroyed stands, took apart the outdoor seating from the cantina, and toppled over anything they could. Once they reached the cemetery, Graham got an idea, and grabbed a shovel.

* * *

The next morning, the town was abuzz with the news. The Queen had supposedly torn through the town and destroyed everything in her path. Even worse, she had taken a shovel and disturbed dozens of graves.

As Emma and Henry rode their cart back home, they saw the damage, and Emma felt a pang at how terrible it was that someone was trying to destroy Regina’s character.

Henry frowned. “Why would she do this? I thought she was one of the good guys.”

“I’m sure it’s not her,” Emma said reassuringly, not adding more for fear of having to explain her conviction.

But much to her surprise - well, no one’s surprise really - everyone believed the Queen was innocent.

“She fights for us!”

“Someone is trying to ruin her reputation!”

“Who could possibly believe she would do such a thing?”

“It must be the Colonel!”

“Yeah! He hates her!”

“I heard his entire army deserted him!”

By the afternoon, there was a crowd that had formed outside the Town Hall. The five guards posted at the gate vainly tried to hold the mob back, but they were outnumbered. The Captain appeared with reinforcements, but they didn’t dare breach, seeing the anger in their eyes.

Gold watched this all from his window, and seeing the hesitation, he made his way out to the balcony, and thundered, “What are you waiting for? Disperse them!”

Graham faltered, seeing the angry mob, and knowing he didn’t have the strength to hold them back.

“I think…” Everyone turned to see the Queen, standing on top of a building across the Square, looking very smug. “That your Captain is realizing just how out of depth he is, and how much at a disadvantage he is. Strength in numbers, huh Captain?”

Graham had no qualms with raising his gun at her, but the Queen dodged the bullet, instead hitting the parapet.

“Shoot her!” Gold bellowed.

Graham grit his teeth, taking aim again. “I’m trying! Spread out and find her!”

The measly squadron he had dispersed as best they could.

Emma, after leaving Henry safe at home, rushed towards the Square on foot, just in time for Regina to drop down in front of her and pull them both into a darkened alleyway.

“Are you out of your mind?!” Emma hissed. “You could get killed!”

“I couldn’t stand by! Look at what Gold did, and look at the scene out there. I had to step in,” Regina murmured, taking them deeper within the labyrinth of alleyways until they found an alcove that would keep them hidden from the bumbling guards.

Emma swore that Regina would be the end of her. “Sure, brilliant idea, so you die, and for what? We sent Marian out with the proof to send it to the courts exactly so that you wouldn't have to fight, but you can't just stay back? You need to keep risking your life?”

“What do you mean? I’m being careful, Emma,” Regina countered.

Pointing at the area of the wound, Emma said, “If you keep ripping the wound open, you are going to be just making things worse for yourself, and that is if you manage to steer clear of the bullets and -”

Regina surged forward to place her hands on Emma’s cheeks and kiss her lips, effectively silencing the doctor. Once they parted, Regina said, “I’ll be fine, I promise. I meant what I said last night. But I have to end this. I feel like this is it. And I can’t let him win.”

Emma placed her own hands over Regina’s, feeling the leather under her hands. She looked at the woman in front of her, the mask doing a good job of hiding just how human Regina was. How much she exerted herself night after night to give these people the freedom they deserved. “Promise you’ll come back to me.”

“I promise. As soon as Gold is done for, I will run straight to you.”

After one final, deep kiss, where the two tried to convey everything in a single gesture, they parted ways, Regina heading up the side of a building, while Emma headed to the Town Square.

The men tried to search for her, but it was the Queen who found them. Using as many tricks as she could to avoid fighting, she pulled the wool over their eyes and managed to thin down the group to a measly seventeen. She could handle that.

But Gold wasn’t finding any of this conducive. From the safety of his balcony, he bellowed, “I will give one thousand reales to whoever captures and brings me the Queen!”

Emma was sure that this would be it, the moment that the people turned on their hero, but save for a few drunk stragglers, the rest of the people stayed right where they were.

“We won’t betray her!”

“She’s done more for us than you ever will!”

“Long live the Queen!”

That last chant grew, a few rotten produce items were thrown at the balcony, and Gold was at his wits end.

“ENOUGH!”

Everyone quietened. Even the guards that remained were stunned. Regina, who had just managed to thin down the herd to 14, turned to look at the Square.

“Queen! I challenge you to a duel! Winner takes all!” Gold thundered.

From the rooftop she was at, Regina yelled back, “I have duelled you before, won, and the terms agreed on were not honoured. I won’t fall for it again.”

“There is an audience! And a mediator! Where is that damn Doctor...Doctor!” Gold had found Emma, and pointed at her. “She and the Captain will mediate.”

“And what do you mean by take all?” Regina asked, still not agreeing to anything. She saw as Graham made his way out to the Square to stand near Emma. The image repulsed her, and by the look Emma gave him, she felt the same way.

“Loser surrenders to the winner!”

Regina gave some thought to it. She knew that Marian must be halfway to the next town, getting ready to send the parcel that will show without a doubt that Gold and his men are corrupt criminals. She thought to her promise to Emma - this couldn’t exactly be considered safe. “Very well!”

Cheers erupted from the crowd. Even the Captain was looking joyful. All but Emma.

As both she and Gold made their way to the Square, the crowd had parted. The fountain that was at the center had been a victim of the Captain’s destruction last night, and was lying in a dilapidated rubble. The water that usually ran through it was now dispersed over the ground, turning the surface into mud. Gold was holding his rapier with a pompous air of superiority, as if he was sure he would win.

Regina, knowing that the man looked tired, and somewhat delirious - and decidedly inebriated - figured that the best tactic would be to tire him out.

When they crossed rapiers, she spared one final glance at Emma, who gave her the faintest of smiles.

And then they began.

Gold, predictably, started off with swift and violent attacks, while Regina just deflected them.

As his blows started getting more desperate, Regina’s movements were aimed at disorienting him.

With an attempt at a jab, Regina stuck out her leg and tripped the Colonel, getting him to tumble to the ground and eat mud, losing his dagger in the process. As he flew back up, he didn’t pause for a second as he tried to attack, swinging his sword any which way now with both of his hands.

Regina still kept her cool, moving carefully. When she found an opening, as Gold was trying to catch his breath, Regina aimed her rapier right at his fingers, creating a sting just enough to get him to drop his sword. 

As Gold registered his surprise and pain, Regina planted her right foot and used her left to kick up a mound of mud onto Gold’s face, before stamping the sole of her foot right in the middle of Gold’s chest, pushing him back so he fell to the ground, unconscious.

The crowd erupted in cheers as Graham rushed to check on his boss. The people had begun to gather around their hero, as Regina sheathed her rapier.

Emma was still in her spot, trying to catch her breath. Crisis averted. She began to move closer to the group that had formed, intent on moving through the throng of people to congratulate Regina. 

“No!” Graham yelled, getting the people to fall back. “I refuse to surrender!”

He moved much faster than Gold ha d been doing, much faster than Regina could react, before he plunged his broad sword right into Regina’s side, the very one that already held her injury.

“No!” Emma’s shrill cry broke through the silence

Everyone was stunned, giving Graham enough time to take his sword back and run off. Thankfully, he didn't manage to make it far before the people tackled him.

Emma rushed through the crowd forcefully, falling to her knees and sliding on the mud to where Regina had fallen, as she rushed to check the state of the wound. Between all the mud, and the blood, she had no way of knowing. But it didn't look good. Her heartbeat was so slow.

“Please...no”

_“Is she dead?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhhhhm......goood thing there's a next chapter huh?


	10. Justice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's go for short and sweet and to the point shall we?

_The small pueblo of Storybrooke had a long and famous history. It had been home to two vigilantes during its tumultuous times, and with the Queen of Swords, she had managed to finally bring peace to the land._

_For she had been a beacon of justice, and she had managed to capture and imprison the most corrupt Colonel in the history of California. Currently, he and his Captain were in Spain awaiting trial for their crimes._

_But now, a new age has set in. Regina Mills, the daughter of Don Henry Mills - thought to have originally perished from a fall off a horse, later revealed that he had been murdered by the evil Colonel and his Captain - has taken up the newly minted mantle of Mayor, bringing prosperity to the town._

“I can’t believe this drivel,” Regina fumed, folding the newspaper up. “Who writes this nonsense?”

Emma chuckled, adjusting the cufflinks on her wrist as she walked closer to Regina. “What do you mean? I thought they captured your story excellently.”

Regina huffed, putting the folded paper on the dressing table with a huff. “You would think that, you’re barely mentioned!”

“I’d read the final bit if I were you,” Emma teased.

Having to know what Emma was referring to, Regina grabbed the distasteful newspaper and glanced at the bottom.

Regina began to read aloud, “Of course, the Queen left behind a myriad of broken hearts with her disappearance- I am not reading this.”

Emma finished adjusting the cufflinks and began patting down her vest to make sure it was sitting right. “That’s not the best part, I think it continues further inside.”

And indeed, below the paragraph that Regina refused to keep reading, was a note saying the story continued on another page. Barely giving Emma a glare, she lifted the paper up and thumbed through the pages to find the supposed section Emma wanted her to read.

She reached the section, and gasped.

The article continued, probably with more nonsense than she was willing to stomach, but that wasn’t what caught her attention. Stuck on top of the paper was a smaller piece of paper, with the words ‘Will you Marry Me?’

Regina let the paper crumple in her lap as she brought her hands down, to find Emma kneeling in front of her, a ring perched between her thumb and forefinger.

“Emma…” Regina breathed. Here they were, a few moments before Regina was going to be sworn in as Storybrooke’s new Mayor, and of course, Emma was going out of her way to be even more amazing than she already was.

“Please, I won’t speak much,” Emma said, holding her other hand up to get Regina to pause. “I know I just have to do this. I love you Regina. I have loved you from that first apple, the first night riding, through revelations and epic sword fights and everything else in between. Even when you got stabbed and I thought I had lost you. You have shown me that you can be amazing no matter what mask you’re wearing, or even when you’re not wearing any, and I know I want to be there to see everything you can do. I would be honored to be not only your friend, your confidant, your lover, your partner, but also your wife, if you’d have me.”

Regina was absolutely shocked and floored and in awe.

For a few tense moments, Emma could barely breathe as she waited with baited breath, before Regina seemed to remember there was a question she had to answer.

“Of course I will,” Regina said with a grin, sliding off of the chaise and into Emma’s arms, laughing and kissing.

The rapidly louder pattering of feet made them look towards the doorway, which burst open with Henry’s very energetic shove, followed by Marian’s mirthful grin. 

“Come on! The show is starting!” Henry was saying as the door opened. Then he saw his mom and Regina kneeling on the floor and he frowned. “What are you guys doing?”

Marian, who had been asked beforehand - as she was the closest thing Regina had to family, and Emma had wanted to do this right - had brought her hands up to her mouth in pure joy, tears escaping her eyes.

“Come here Henry,” Emma said, beckoning him closer. She too had a sheen of tears around her eyes. In fact, save for Henry, everyone in that room had misty eyes. Once Henry was close enough, Emma said, “Remember that I was going to ask Regina a very important question?”

Henry nodded. “You were going to ask her to become a family with us, and to marry you.”

“That’s right! And she said yes!” Emma enthusiasm was contagious, but that was nothing compared to the shrill whoop and jump that Henry let out as soon as Emma finished.

Henry could hardly contain his excitement, and he practically got up into Regina’s face to say, “Are we going to be family now?!”

Regina could only nod, engulfing him in a hug. “Yes Henry, we are.”

It would prove to be a perfect afternoon, the ceremony going off without a hitch. No one else knew about Emma and Regina’s wedding plans, and for that day, no one would know.

Later that night, Regina’s villa would be lit up in celebration, with the gardens open for everyone that had been part of the house coming together to celebrate Regina’s new role.

After everyone else had left, and Marian and Henry were asleep, Emma asked Regina for a dance.

“There’s no music,” Regina pointed out. They were in the gardens, alone save for the night sky filled with thousands of stars.

Emma didn’t find any issue with that. “No matter, we don’t need to follow a rhythm.”

And so they came together to slowly move their feet in harmony, not truly going anywhere or moving, just shifting from one foot to the other.

When it was just the two of them, they only had eyes for the other. Through thick and thin, their support for one another never wavering.

And that’s how it would be for years and years down the line. Regina would continue to be the Mayor, helping people and the town, while Emma tended to the sick and wounded. No matter how busy they would get, they would always set aside time to come together once at night and dance under the moonlight.

Henry would know, he watched them do it every night like clockwork, and it never ceased to amaze him as to how much the two women cared and supported one another.

**Author's Note:**

> And we have reached the end.
> 
> As for the future, I'm not sure if this is going to be my last Supernova or not, but we'll see. I'm finding myself more interested in other fandoms, but not to worry! SQ will always have a special place in my heart, and I promise to finish my ongoing fics. 
> 
> All of them.


End file.
